


Embers of Sun and Flame

by thoughtfullyrainynightmare



Category: Black Clover - Tabata Yuki (Anime & Manga)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Multi, Obsessive Behavior, Other, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:21:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 87,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27724075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thoughtfullyrainynightmare/pseuds/thoughtfullyrainynightmare
Summary: Solara Equinox meets a strong willed woman on her journey and tags along with her, after forming a nearly instant friendship with her. The woman introduces herself as Mereoleona and they journey to Clover Kingdom together as Mereoleona tells that she's been summoned back home because of personal reasons.
Relationships: Fuegoleon Vermillion/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 30





	1. A new encounter

**Author's Note:**

> Though I have written smaller fics for the Black Clover fandom on Tumblr (I go by thoughtfullyrainynightmare there as well in case you're interested), I thought that I might give a shot to writing something longer for my OC. This is what resulted from that decision, and am planning on writing more chapters in the future. Confessions, I am new to A03 so I apologize for any deficiencies in tags.

Rain. A cold wind blowing from what must have been west, flowing amidst the trees of the forest Solara was passing. Luckily it wasn’t pouring down, but this dark and dreary weather was hardly pleasant either. Her feet splashed on the soft ground as she made her way forward, the chill seeping down to her muscles. Luckily, she wasn’t one to get cold too easily, but this had continued for a good while already and soon it’d be more sensible to just camp for the night. _More sensible_ , she thought to herself. Many wouldn’t deem passing through a strong magic reason on one’s own as sensible by any means, especially as she wasn’t exactly in her element at the moment. But she was confident that the mana that surrounded her, would give her all the aid she needed. After all, it was inscribed into her veins with the blood of her ancestors. _Mana will pass you, flow through your fingertips as you commend_ , people would say. As if it was that simple. Nothing is simple. And yet, everything is simple.

She smirked as she stopped and looked up to the grey sky, pulling her hood from her face. Droplets beating against her complexion, as she pondered about it. _Just one more paradox to consider, huh?_ There was so much to see, so much to consider before returning home for good and taking on her position. All the options, customs, practices, an endless amount of them. Would they really work in Thea? It was all just so… different. And yet, when you look it deep down, to the very basics of it, everything was the same. _Is that what they want us to understand? Is that what they want us to see beforehand? That behind every banner, every border, there are people with hopes and dreams and ideals, much like our own. Isn’t that given?_ She sighed and turned to face back down, continuing forward. _But it doesn’t mean that their loyalty is with you…_ The thought weighed on her as she walked, deep in thought and mana swirling around her.

She stopped. Her posture straightening as something pierced through the steady fluttering of energy around her. Not exactly hostility, but there was an intention in the making. She looked around for the source, but before she noticed a pair of ferocious blue eyes staring at her and felt the untamed roar of the fiery mana. She stared back, waiting for whatever would follow. Had they wanted to attack her, it would have made more sense to do so when she wasn’t paying attention. Or was this the brief moment during which a predator zeroes in on their target before lunging in, having only just noticed their prey? Regardless, she stared back turning to face the eyes and removing her hood, the last act appearing to serve as an invitation.

A red-haired figure lunged at her, eyes gleaming with bloodlust and a sound barrier piercing yell erupting, breaking air between them. Solara dodged only to find their attacker follow her movements seamlessly. _Fists… How straightforward of her… Hm. She’s also fast and she can use mana zone as well. But she is yet to strike at my vitals,_ she thought as she stared her attacker, eye to eye, testing which of them would blink first. They bounced around, using mana zone to its full potential as Solara continued to evade the punches coming her way. She frowned as she saw how lazily those strikes were thrown her way, simultaneously wondering about what possible motivations the woman might have. This was hardly a proper fight, yet at least, but still Solara kept her mana skin up and opened her mouth to speak; only to close it as the space between them abruptly grew. The woman stood still; gaze still fixed on her.

That gaze. Solara knew it. She was being evaluated. All those attacks hadn’t been careless, they had been for the sole purpose of testing her. Solara’s eyes opened wider at the revelation. _I see…_ she thought as she grinned. _A little brawl might be fun. I wonder if you can push me past wanting to open the seals…_ The woman grinned in turn before shouting out: “Glad you finally figured it out! Now, come at me!” Solara chuckled to herself internally as she thought: _Who is this woman?_

The woman lunged forward once more, casting out a spell; honestly not quite what Solara expected after knowing that she had been assessed. But then again, one hardly evaluates by coming in with all their strength at once. Or rather, most wouldn’t, but judging from the blazing mana that was now enhancing the woman’s attacks, she meant to end this quickly. _Alright._ She thought as she pressed her middle finger tightly against her thumb, preparing to snap her fingers. “Ignire,” she spoke, the hushed syllables leaving her lips as the snap of her fingers ignited the soaked grass at the forest bed, a wall of flame erupting around her. The smell of rain and smoke mixing together as the swirling flares around her lashed out from the wall, slashing and scorching everything on their path. And yet, the unfamiliar mana lingered. _She’s pushing through_ , Solara’s smirk grew wider as she dived into her own flames, waiting for her opponent to reach the eye of the storm, which she did, unphased.

Solara dispelled her flames, now standing on the ashen ground. “Not bad!” she yelled at a language that was spoken in this part of the world, bending the syllables around her tongue. “Took the words right out of my mouth! Here’s your reward: Calidus Brachium Barrage!” the woman roared, her glowing grimoire fluttering onto another page, sending several beams of fire hurling down and around, leaving nothing untouched. Solara knew that she couldn’t evade such an attack just like that, _but what if I make the attack evade *me*?_ An idea forming as she bent her mana around her hands, grasping onto her known spells, fusing them together. “Dance of the Heavenly Bodies,” the name formed on her lips as naturally as breathing, creating a field of gravity around her, trapping the rays of flame on a path around her and sending them back to whence they came from. Thundering booms piercing through the air, muffling the yells that followed.

Solara concentrated more mana around her, building he mana skin more, making her nails extend to those of claws that radiated with the brightness and blaze of the sun. The woman, casting the same spell as before, smiled wider than before as she didn’t hesitate in charging forth. Flame and flare clashed together, burning the occasional aberrations that were drawn in by the mana as neither wanted to back down.

It was only later, once they sat together on a blackened rock in the sea of dust and ash, that they exchanged their first proper conversation. Rain had slowed down, but still dripped down around them making the acers worth of cinders cool down, and the damp ash was kept from floating into the air and suffocating them. “So, what are you doing out here?” the woman asked, facing to the sky and letting the rain wash streaks of coal from her complexion. “I was just passing through, simple as that,” Solara replied as she stared into the distance where a blackened tree line now laid. “Oh? Where are you headed?” the red head inquired, now turning her head to Solara. “Nowhere in particular. I just wish to see as much of the world before I need to take on my responsibilities as the next head of the family.” Her admission flowing from her as half a statement and half a sigh.

The woman scoffed. “And why would you like to submit to an enforced fate like that? My path is my own to make, though suppose I should be glad that my parents never forced it on me.” Solara slightly chuckled. “Did I say that my parents are forcing me? No, no. The wish is my own. You see I want to take on the responsibility eventually, but I just wish that I get to grow enough to be ready for the part once it’s time.” Solara’s gaze fell to the ground without focus as she spoke. “You know you sound a bit like my dim-witted little brother,” the woman sneered. “Hm?” Solara uttered gazing to the woman, sitting next to her on the rock and looking into the distant tree line, one leg dangling off the edge of the rock and another bent, serving as an armrest for her left arm. “Not a lot. But a bit. He’s far too responsible for his own good, and I swear if I ever find out who put the pole up his arse, I’ll tear that person a new one.” Solara stared at her, blinking slowly at the statement before bursting into laughter which contested the sound of falling rain.

Whatever tension there had been left, dangling in the air, had now passed as the woman chuckled a bit to herself with a melancholic smile. Solara looked at her, laughter quieting down and instead was replaced with an empathetic smile. “So, what are you doing here? Finding a path of your own?” She asked, half joking as she didn’t wish to pry and thought that she might as well distract her newfound friend from whatever was causing her such apathy. But instead, the question washed away the smile the woman had worn. “I was…” she paused for a moment, but her tone never faltered from the epitome of determination Solara knew it to be. “But I just received word to come back home, because that idiot I call brother fucked up and now I need to come back and clean up a mess.” She sighed and gazed to the ground making Solara frown. “Would it not be better for your brother to learn from his mistakes and correct them by himself?” Solara asked, keeping her gaze on the woman. “He can’t.” There was irritation in the statement, but it wasn’t directed at Solara. “Can I ask why?” Solara continued, keeping her tone as calm and soft as she could so that the woman might still hear her. “He’s in a coma because some bastard tore of his arm. I thought that he was better than that. To let his guard down like that. But I’ll take over his squad and kill every single one of those shitheads that did this to him!” the woman growled like thunder, her canine sharp and ready to tear through flesh and bone.

Solara was taken aback by the statement, her eyes widening as she kept looking at the woman for a moment. She turned her head to face forward as a small smile veiled with sadness rose to her lips. She placed her hand on the woman’s shoulder. “Your brother is lucky to have you as his sister,” Solara paused for a moment, thinking if she should stay out of it or not. “Look, I know that it’s none of my business, but if I can help…” the woman turned to her as Solara lifted her hand from her shoulder. “No. As that knuckle head’s older sister, it’s my job to claim vengeance on my brother’s behalf.” The woman stated, her tone letting Solara know that she will not budge. “Ah, I didn’t mean in the actual spilling of blood, oh no. That is yours. You see if someone did that to my sisters, they’d have hell to pay. So, I wouldn’t consider going between you and them. But if there is anything that I can do, just tell me.” The woman stared at Solara, gaze piercing through her. “And what if all I told you just now was a lie? Then you’d be helping out a murdered.” She stated without blinking. “True,” Solara admitted. “But if it is what you say, then there is proof, is there not? I would imagine that you first need to get back home and find out who did that to your brother, as well as take on the responsibilities he’s currently unable to fulfil. After all that is figured out, I’d know that what you’re telling me, isn’t a lie. Besides, it’s not like you’re telling me to go kill someone on your behalf, but rather that you wish to do it yourself. All those things tell me a lot already. And no, I do not judge you for wanting to avenge your brother, though,” Solara scoffed and continued: “I should tell you to keep your cool and run it by a judge.” Solara turned her head towards the woman, who was still staring at her, evaluating her in a very different manner as before. “So, just like that. You don’t judge me for what I admitted intending to do?” Solara replied without blinking: “I do not judge you for wanting to protect your family.”

They shared a glance understanding what the other meant, and nodded to each other. “Have you been to Clover Kingdom before?” the woman asked, changing the subject. “Clover Kingdom? No, I don’t believe I have. Or if I have, then I’ve done so unknowingly,” Solara stated, her eyes shifting to the sky for a moment as she thought. “You coming from the Heart Kingdom then?” The woman continued, but said nothing more, letting Solara answer. “Hmm. I’m afraid none of these countries mean anything to me by name. The best I can tell you is that I’m travelling from the south, but I didn’t cross the border to the nation on the eastern side, because of the mana that surrounded it. It seemed like the entire country was being watched, and I figured that if they’re keeping a watchful eye on their own, they wouldn’t like visitors. And moving to the west, the climate got… hostile. I don’t know, there was something very uninviting in the western regions, so I continued north and here I am.” Solara shrugged, gazing back to the woman who stayed silent for a moment. “So, where are you from?” She asked, raising an eyebrow. “I’m from a country called Thea. It’s a solitary island nation far out in the open ocean, so unfortunately transportation requires magic or a… very long sea voyage.” The woman gazed at Solara, staying silent for a moment before shrugging. “Never heard of Thea, but suppose if it is secluded then it’s no surprise.” She directed her gaze back forward and letting silence fall between them once more.

“Where are you from? This ‘Clover Kingdom’ perhaps?” Solara asked breaking the silence, having made a guess based on the questions the woman had made, but preferring to ask just to be sure. The red head next to her only nodded, her gaze staying on the ground and the look of melancholy veiling her expression again. Solara placed her hand on the woman’s shoulder once more, giving her a faint smile. “It’ll work out,” she tried, not really knowing what to say. The woman glanced at her, not saying anything. They sat in silence, listening to the light rain, for a moment before gliding down from the rock. Their clothes becoming painted with black, but not bothering trying to dust it off as it’d be a lost cause.

The woman started walking forward and Solara followed without a word. “What’s your name?” the red head asked, glancing at Solara. “Ah, right, introductions,” Solara smirked. “I’m Solara, Solara Equinox.” The woman smirked as well, her gaze turning forward again. “Introductions are dull and tedious things to start with,” she paused for a moment, “I’m Mereoleona Vermillion, but you can call me Mereo or Leona. I hope you realize that it’s not a privilege I allow for most,” she smirked, making Solara chuckle. “I’ll be sure to use that privilege wisely,” she grinned and continued. “But I’m glad to have met you.” “Likewise,” Mereo smiled. They shared one more glance before setting sights forth, the grey sky above them opening up and sunlight cascading over them as they started their journey.

–

They travelled further east, Mereo leading the way as Solara didn’t have the faintest clue on where precisely they were headed. The thick forest changed into hills and mountains, and gradually signs of civilization showed itself. And as it did, the strong pool of mana flowing deep in the earth faded, leaving nothing but the faint glow of it behind, but that was nothing new. After all, most nations were founded on land much like this, which was sensible.

They passed some villagers on their way, but not once did they meet anyone who wouldn’t have any magic. There was always that small lingering swirl, flutter or flow, which had seemed to be the case everywhere outside of Thea. But judging from some, it’d take just a few more generations until magic would fade away from their bloodlines, forcing them to adapt. Though adapting was something they would have needed to do thus far already, having to rely on physical labour in place of magic. Solara couldn’t help but wonder why it seemed as such preparations hadn’t been made yet, but reasoned that it must be because technology just hasn’t evolved far enough yet, or that the Kingdom just didn’t have the necessary funds to supply all of its citizens with the necessary equipment. In any case, Solara didn’t ask, thinking that the answer would present itself eventually and it wasn’t important at the moment.

The further inland they travelled, the more mana people seemed to have and the more refined the infrastructure grew, making it appear that the individuals possessing more mana were concentrated in the central parts of the Kingdom instead of being spread out throughout the country. This meant that discrimination and a classification system of some kind were highly probable. By now Solara and Mereo had bonded, having become close friends, but Mereo rarely implied anything to have to do with her family heritage. She always spoke of people as people, who they were. No titles, no positions, just who they were. Quite frankly, it was refreshing to Solara, which made her all the happier about having met Mereo. Especially since given the make of her clothes, although tattered and sullied by the journey, were of good quality and her amount of mana spoke of a high position within the society. _Perhaps she’ll be able to implement ground breaking changes,_ Solara thought to herself. But what did strike her as odd, was the fact that not even once had Mereo suggested staying in an inn on their journey. Though, if one travels into the wilderness with the intention to brawl with whatever creatures that cross your path, money isn’t something one would need, and besides, staying at an inn didn’t seem like Mereo’s style.

The Royal Capital. It could be seen from miles away, standing tall amidst a sea of grass. It certainly made a statement. Speaking of pride, how it’d stay in place, unmoved by any force of nature and standing above it. A declaration to which Solara couldn’t say much, knowing that each nation was no stranger to such notions. The streets, gates and turns of which weren’t much different from those she had seen countless of times, people going about their lives just as anywhere else and the only differences laid in details.

But as they walked through the streets of the Royal Capital further in and near the castle, Solara felt the stare of all who they passed. Hearing whispers, but was unable to make out what was said, most likely something about their attires. Solara shrugged at them, following Mereo through the streets even deeper into the city. At every turn, Solara expected Mereo to head for a door, but she kept going and after a while Solara stopped guessing which house Mereo would enter and instead let her gaze wonder around.

The castle towered over the surrounding buildings, along with the wall that circled the around it. _Packed right in the middle of the city. Talk about lack of privacy,_ Solara thought quietly to herself. There was a small clearing outside of the gates, passing through which Solara felt a familiar presence. She stopped and looked around, trying to catch a glimpse of a familiar face, but seeing none. But still she had a hunch as to who it had been as she knew that mana as well as the back of her hand. _Selena?_ She thought, before being woken from her daydream. “Try to keep up Solara!” Mereo yelled, standing at the gates to the castle.

Solara’s eyes widened slightly. _She’s… royalty? Hm. I did not expect that,_ she shrugged to herself before hurrying to the open gate, the guards giving her glances. “What was that?” Mereo asked as they entered to the courtyard. “Nothing. I just thought that I saw someone familiar, but I must have been mistaken,” she shrugged, making Mereo give her a glance, but dropping the subject. “I’ll go see my brothers and parents, but you can go take a shower if you want to,” Mereo stated, her tone again laced with apathy. “Are you sure you don’t want me to tag along?” Solara asked, smiling to Mereo with an equally saddened gaze. “No,” Mereo sighed, “it’s a family affair and besides, I’m sure you’ll have your chances of meeting both of my idiotic brothers and my parents,” she said with a faint smirk. Solara only nodded, knowing that the sentiment had been noted and was appreciated.

Mereo led her towards one of the castle entrances, decorated with a crest of a golden lion. Upon a closer inspection it seemed like the castle was divided into three separate sections, which hadn’t been quite as obvious from outside. _Three families perhaps?_ Mereo waltzed in and telling the first maid that crossed their path to prepare a room for Solara, as well as supply her with spare clothing and food before disappearing.

Solara was left standing in the corridor with the maid. “Um… ma’am?” the maid said with a quiet and meek voice. “Yes?” she uttered, softly like the spring sun. “Would you like to bathe ma’am?” The maid averted her gaze, blushing violently. Solara tilted her head, knowing fully well the state that she was in and smiled. “Yes, very much so. Thank you for being so considerate.” The woman met Solara’s gaze for a brief moment, before averting her eyes once more. “Of course,” she whispered, before continuing with an audible voice. “This way please,” she stated while gesturing towards a hallway, an action to which Solara only nodded before following.

The turns and endless corridors reminded Solara of home, even if it wasn’t quite the same. But somehow this house felt warm as well. Surely all who had the finance to upkeep such an estate could keep it heated, but the kind of warmth that existed between people. The lingering atmosphere radiated from the walls and windows, amplifying itself as acceptance and love, which were far too scarce in the halls of noble bloodlines. Too many times had she seen instances where family members were strangers to each other, only wishing to pursue their own goals and dreams. Of course, there always was the entire spectrum of hearts beating together as one, and those frozen solid with permafrost, laying in between, but she couldn’t help but feel sorrow for those that lived loveless lives. A problem that didn’t care of one’s birth origin, making no distinction between nations and classes.

Steps echoes from the walls as they walked, Solara falling deeper into the sea of thought. The last few rays of sunlight cascaded through the windows and painted the floors with a river of melted gold. An eerie feeling overtook Solara, catching her heartstrings and pulling onto them as if she had been caught in a net. She lifted her gaze from the floor, eyes shifting around in disbelief as she searched her feelings for even the tiniest whisper of explanation. But nothing surfaced, there was only the soft embrace of a silken net, tugging her and imploring her to stay. It wasn’t a spell, no, it couldn’t have been, but something else. There were no suffocating binds, only threads of luminescent cobweb.

“Here we are ma’am,” the maid spoke and gestured to a door, waking Solara once more from her thoughts. “Ah, thank you,” she smiled stepping forth to the door. “Would you like me to take your garments straight to laundry?” the woman asked, the meek and mellow tone still glazing her tone. Solara let out a hum, but didn’t need to ponder for long. “Yes, that would be most gracious of you.” She turned her head towards the maid as she spoke, facing to woman. “If it would suit you ma’am, I’ll bring you a change of clothes later, and in terms of dinner, would you prefer to dine here or in the dining hall?” the maid asked, keeping her gaze on the floor. Solara blinked at the question, having thought it to be obvious, but brushed it off as not being familiar with the customs of this country. “I would prefer to dine with the family, if that is a possibility.” She stated, the smile returning to her complexion. “I’m afraid the family won’t be dining together this evening ma’am,” the maid apologized. “Ah, well in that case I’d like to have dinner here.” Solara replied, tilting her head. “Very well ma’am.” The maid simply replied, marking the end to the conversation.

Once inside the room, Solara undressed behind a screen as the maid drew her a bath. She folded her clothes into a pile, but placed the small satchel she had with her to the side. The maid picked up her clothes and left, informing that she’d be back in a short while and would soon be back to make her bed. Solara thanked her with a smile before being left to her own devices.

Silence fell into the room as Solara entered the bathroom and climbed into the bath, warm water caressing her skin and melting all tension from her muscles and joints. _Oh, how I missed this,_ she thought as she sank in, surrendering to the warm embrace of water. She picked up a bar of soap and started gliding it across her skin, washing away the soil and sully while humming a gentle tune to herself as a smile crept on her face. As she dipped her hair beneath the surface, she stayed lingering, enjoying the silence cradling her. Her fingers dug into her scalp as she washed her hair, making her exhale deeply as a hum left her throat, feeling like all her worries flowed from her into the tub and down the drain.

After a while there was a knock on the door, the maid returning with a pile of clothes that she placed on a counter in the bathroom, telling that she’d be making her bed and soon someone else would bring her dinner. Solara got out of the tub, giving her thanks and drying herself to a towel which felt like cotton against her reddened skin. She started inspecting the clothes, which just a simple white shirt and pants, but then again that sufficed. The fabric felt like silk between her fingers, despite being only cotton, but as she had been travelling for so long, this was so much softer than many things her fingers had graced lately.

She exited the bathroom, letting her eyes wander around. There was a fire lit in the fireplace, casting warm light all around the room which made the bed present itself as all the more inviting. All she wanted to do was burrow herself into the bed and wrap the blanket around herself, sinking her head into the pillow which must have been soft as a cloud. But she also needed to eat, and food was being brought to her. Thus, would she choose to go to sleep already, she’d be impolite. So, instead she walked around the room, gazing out of the windows. The city seemed to be quieting down, people returning to their homes as the sun had already set, only the afterglow remaining in the sky before the moon and stars would take their turn.

There was a knock at the door and food was delivered as promised. After weeks of eating wild game, nothing could beat a cooked meal, writing symphonies on Solara’s palette which made her glad about not giving in to the desire of climbing in bed and instead battle her weary eyes. At that point she thought to have chosen wisely by asking to eat in her room, as the proper court manners had left her and instead, she ate with hunger. But the satisfaction that came with it, oh, of all the pleasures she had known thus far, not many could compare. After all, it was the little things that made life fulfilling. A relaxing bath. A good meal. And being able to sleep in a soft, comfortable bed after a long trip.

She finished her dinner and climbed to bed, the sheets cradling her, imploring her to just lay down. And for the life of her, she couldn’t resist the call. As she climbed under covers and settled down, she felt as if she was floating on a bed of clouds, ready to drift of to a place far from here, or home, only to return in the morning. And for reasons she could not tell, she had an inkling feeling that she’d grow a lot more at home here, but brushed it off as nothing more than a passing thought, resulting from all the good she had experienced thus far.


	2. With the Crimson Lion Kings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solara meets Mereo's family and travels with her to the Crimson Lion King's headquarters where a development takes place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is still very much introduction and we're not yet getting to the actual romance, but perhaps in the next chapter ;)

Sunlight filtered through the window between the curtains, pressing gentle kisses onto Solara’s eyelids, making them flutter. The warmth and softness of the bed felt like home to her, wrapping her into a cloud of all that was good. She changed sides, curling around her blanket as burying her nose into the pillow. But the moment of tranquil twilight had passed her and sleep did not weigh her bones any longer, so she rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. She exhaled deeply, concentrating on nothing but silence and the beat of her own heart.

 _Suppose I should get up…_ she thought as there was a knock at the door. “Yes?” she stated while sitting up and gazing to the door. “Good morning ma’am,” a meek voice began as the door started to open and a maid peeked inside, holding a pile of clothes. “I have brought you your clothes, and breakfast is being served in a half an hour,” she continued while remaining in the door way, standing in place much like a statue and averting her gaze. _Poor thing…_ Solara thought to herself, while smiling to her and giving a slight nod. “Thank you. If you’d be so kind as to lay my clothes down on that chair,” she nodded towards an armchair that was placed nearby the intricately crafted dressing table in the room.

“Yes ma’am,” the maid squeaked and hasted towards the said chair while Solara pulled the covers off of her, making a slight shiver pass through her as the air felt cold in comparison. But as much as she wished to allow herself just 5 more minutes of comfort beneath the blanket, she knew that it wouldn’t end up being just the 5 minutes and thus it’d be better for her to just get up. “Oh, and um,” she spoke with a slightly absent tone, trying to let the syllable flow from her as softly as possible, but the maid still spun around as if expecting to be scolded. Solara gazed at her, pausing her sentence as she didn’t quite expect such a reaction and wondered if there was some form of speech, she hadn’t yet realized that was making the maid so uneasy. “I’m afraid that as I haven’t yet visited the dining hall, I’m unable to make my way there unassisted.” Solara sat on the edge of the bed, seeing how the maid’s eyes shifted around as she was furiously thinking of a suitable reply. _Or then she’s just new in the position,_ Solara thought, thinking if she should offer the maid an answer hidden into a question. “So, I was wondering if I could have someone escort me there in, let’s say 20 minutes?” The maid blinked as a violent blush rose to her cheeks. “Yes, ma’am!” she exclaimed, horror rising to her complexion right after. “I’m sorry ma’am. I- Yes, someone will be over,” she mumbled as her courage failed her and her eyes fell to the floor. Her body trembled in place, giving of the appearance of wanting to bolt from the room. “May- may I be excused ma’am?” Her voice quivered, the question being directed to Solara, but one was only able to tell because of the addition of ‘ma’am’ at the end of the sentence.

“Yes, you may,” Solara smiled, trying to understand the maid’s behaviour, but opting to say nothing. After all, there was no damage done and the last thing she wished to do was to discourage the young woman who hasted out of the room. Solara waited for a while, feeling the faint mana disappearing into the distance, and exhaled deeply as her lips curved into a gentle smile. _She’ll be alright as long as she gets used to interacting with nobles._

Her thoughts lingered on the interaction for a moment as she retrieved a hair brush from her bag and sat at the dressing table. She watched her strawberry blond locks being tangled up, and the barely noticeable specks of gold hidden in the sea of forest green in her eyes glittered as the light hit her from just the right angle. The pendant that bore her family crest dangled out in the open as a result of the tossing and turning she must have done in her sleep. The ornamental threads of faith entwining around the halves of the celestial bodies in the middle, sun and moon being equal in their union that depicted on the piece of jewellery.

She hummed a tune as she brushed her hair, letting her mind wonder around, but landing mostly on the topics that circled around the question: “Wonder what will happen on my visit here?” Only her humming lingered in the air as she tied her hair half up to keep it from her complexion for the day. _I wonder how Mereo is doing. She doesn’t really say it, but she cares about her brothers and she must be feeling awful. *Sigh* But she’s strong enough to pull through, that much I know. I just- I just wish the best for her._ Slight melancholy settling on her complexion as she stood up and got dressed. The feel and weight of her own clothes bringing her a sense of home, the thought of which made her scoff as she buckled the belt of her pants before slipping into the double slit dress of hers, the long sleeves and high neck bringing warmth back to her body. She sat back onto the chair while putting on her boots, wondering if she should wear her pendant out in the open, despite usually opting to have it under her clothes if there was a chance of finding herself from a battle. She fumbled with the pendant while staring into the distance. _It means more to me than to them,_ she thought and tugged it in through the collar of her dress.

She got up and walked out of the room, only to see the maid who had escorted to her room yesterday standing behind and jolting slightly. The maid placed her hand on her chest, taking a deep breath to calm herself. “Good morning ma’am. Please forgive me, but I was a bit startled,” the maid admitted while taking a step back and giving Solara some room. “I’m here to escort you to the dining hall. Please, right this way,” the maid stated while straightening her back and gesturing down the corridor. “It’s quite alright. My apologies for giving you a scare,” Solara replied while nodding, earning a smile from the maid.

They travelled in silence, only the sound of their steps echoing from the walls. Solara made sure to memorize the way as she wished to be able to make her way back on her own, trying to ignore the still lingering feeling of unexplained emotional warmth that made her feel as if she belonged. But the feeling was hiding behind every corner, on every surface and laid in every reflection. _Why? What is this?_ She thought as they entered a large dining hall, seeing a vermillion haired woman already seated by the table.

The maid bowed first to woman, presumably the lady of the house, and then to Solara. The woman turned her gaze and smiled as Solara approached the table. Her aura was motherly and her smile was radiant, only adding to the existing atmosphere in the room. Solara greeted as he steps carried her closer: “Good morning my lady.” She gave a polite curtsy and recognized the lady’s position. “Good morning,” the lady replied, slight surprise passing through her eyes as she gestured for Solara to take a seat, an invitation which was gladly accepted.

“I do need to admit that as Leona told me that she made a friend on her journey, I did not expect them to know their way around the court.” Lady Vermillion smiled with a hint of apology painted across her expression. “Well, if I’m completely honest, neither did I expect to meet someone of noble birth out there. But I must say that I am glad to have done so, and that my manners seem to be in accordance to the local ones,” Solara chuckled while taking her seat, giving Lady Vermillion a forgiving smile. “Yes, they are,” the Lady chuckled. “It is quite curious, isn’t it? How we carry our upbringing with us wherever we go, and how difficult it is to shed those small telling signs. An imitation of court manners will always be just that, an imitation,” she continued. “Hmmm. But if one hasn’t taken the time to learn the proper etiquette, then it is quite difficult to tell,” Solara smirked, making the Lady chuckle. “Yes, that is indeed true. This kind of life isn’t for all, but if that is the case, such etiquette shouldn’t be forced. Our lives are our own, and which path we choose to take is up to none but ourselves,” she stated, knowing full well the nature of her strong-willed daughter. They nodded in agreement, smiling to each other across the table as an explosion boomed in the distance.

Solara turned her head towards the sound, raising an eyebrow, but Lady Vermillion wasn’t phased even in the slightest. “May I ask what that was?” Solara gazed to her with a slight confusion and a veil of concern. “Hm?” the Lady uttered, only then seeming to register the sound. “Oh, no, no. It’s quite alright. Leona and my husband are having a talk, and I take it that she learned the placement of the Crimson Lion Kings in this year’s Star Ceremony.” Her response was casual, implying as if destroying your own residence was commonplace. “I see. I do think Mereo mentioned something about the ceremony. It serves as a kind of feedback for each squad’s performance during the year, does it not?” Solara asked, moving on with the topic. Lady Vermillion nodded and opened her mouth to reply, but she was interrupted by a greeting which boomed through the air: “Morning mom!”

They both turned their heads towards the sound as a red headed boy emerged into the room, marching towards the table. “Morning Leo,” Lady Vermillion greeted, her tone reflecting the smile she must have been wearing despite Solara not seeing it. Leo looked at Solara intently, the gears in his head visibly turning as he stood next to her. “Good morning. I’m Solara,” she smiled, wondering what was the reason behind the stare. The boy blinked before erupting into a laugh. “You must be aneue’s friend! That means that you’re my friend too! I’m Leopold, but you can call me Leo,” the boy exclaimed, seeming to yell out everything he said.

Lady Vermillion directed Leo’s attention, encouraging him to sit down so that they might be able to start breakfast as soon as Mereo and Lord Vermillion arrive. The air was soon filled with friendly chatter as Lady Vermillion asked Leo questions about his studies and his duties as a knight. A few questions came Solara’s way, and she gladly answered them, feeling at home at the table. _What lively, wonderful people,_ she thought to herself as eventually Mereo and her father arrived, and they began eating before Mereo asked Solara to tag along to the Crimson Lion Kings Headquarters. Her inquiry coming out as more of a commanding assumption than a question, but Solara didn’t mind as she was already quite used to Mereo’s style of speaking.

\---

“How’s your brother?” Solara inquired as they flew to the Crimson Lion Kings’ base. Leo, who was with them, stayed silent and stared ahead of him. The before so cheerful young knight, clench his jaw, clearly worried for his brother. “His condition is stable, but there haven’t been developments for the better either for a while now,” Mereo paused and scoffed, “He would have better things to do than nap. I need to give him a proper beating for acting so careless when he wakes up.” Her tone was serious and determined, unwilling to accept any other outcome than her brother waking up. But what laid between the empty spaces of the words, was the lingering worry and perhaps, who knows, a slight hint of fear.

“Perhaps save that beating after you have done away with those who put him in a come,” Solara gave Mereo a careful smile, seeing the lioness’ expression soften. Mereo only hummed as a reply as a hint of a smile tugged her lips, feeling the reassurance in the statement. From the corner of her eye, she saw Leo’s body relax at the confidence she and his sister had, giving him hope. _Poor boy._ Solara couldn’t help but feel bad for Leo, who she had understood to idolize his brother, much like her youngest sister apparently idolized her and Selena. She wanted to give the young lion a hug and comfort him, but didn’t know him well enough to do so. Nor did she know if he was the type to accept such gestures, so they flew in silence as yet another sensation overtook Solara.

She felt as if butterflies would be swirling inside of her in unexplained anticipation, as if something grand was going to take place making her nervous. A frown formed on her complexion as she thought about it, scoffing to herself internally as she didn’t believe in such concepts as destiny or fate, but she couldn’t shake of the feeling that was burrowing its way down to her bones. _I must have seen a dream about something like this, which is making me feel like this. Yes, that must be it. I’ve had a dream where I was travelling to a destination and something happened there._ But the answer she gave herself didn’t satisfy her as the feeling of dèjá vu was familiar to her. This was something else. It was like there was a pull towards something, as if she was walking in a dream, knowing where to go but not why. And what was hidden under the need to advance, beneath the anticipation, was a hint of dread. Not the bone rattling terror one might feel in the dead of the night while walking through the valley of shadow of death, but the kind one feels when they are on the verge of something new. The gnawing uncertainty before taking the final step into the unknown, after which you’d cease to be the person you were a moment ago. Something in her would end to give way for something new, but what would that new be, she did not know. But despite the twisting and turning of her insides, she stayed still keeping her gaze fixed into the horizon, since it was what she willed to do. What laid ahead, would not destroy her, unless she allowed for it.

\---

After arriving to the Headquarters Mereo marched forward, Solara following after her. Leo disappeared somewhere, Solara not having time to ask if she wished to keep up with Mereo. The twist and turns of these corridors not radiating the same comfort of home as back at the castle, and yet, the walls kept whispering to her, asking her to stay. Solara frowned, trying to push the feeling away, force it somewhere deep down to the soles of her boots so that she might tread over it. _This will pass. It is nothing more than a memory of a dream…_ she tried to convince herself, but found her head unable to write over the flutter that was now circling around her heart, making her hands tremble.

They reached a door, through which Mereo burst without a second thought. Solara stepped in, not far behind, but stopping to look around at the door way. It was an office. A finely crafted mahogany desk sat next to a side wall, allowing sunlight to be fully cast through the window at the other end of the room. A lounge sofa rested under the window, a side table next to it and from besides there a bookshelf started circling around the room onto the other side wall across the desk, but no further. There was a red rug, that matched the sofa, on the floor, bringing warmth into the room. But Solara’s gaze turned back to Mereo who was standing next to the large armchair that sat behind the desk.

“What bullshit is this?!” Mereo yelled while crushing the document she had been reading in her hand. “Hm?” Solara uttered and walked over, holding her hand out. “The latest performance reports. It seems my brother has been slacking off and forgetting to keep the squad in a tight leash,” Mereo scoffed while handing the document to Solara. Her eyes skimmed through the page, but the results told her very little as she had nothing to compare them to. She picked up another document, letting her eyes dance over the words. “How are they doing compared to the previous years?” Solara asked, keeping her gaze locked with the piece of paper. “Like shit,” Mereo spat out with flaming eyes. “What I meant was that they could have improved from last year, but not just as much as the other squads. And in that case wouldn’t it be more sensible to compare these reports to those of previous years?” Solara finally lifted her gaze from the documents, seeing Mereo staring at her without blinking. “You know, you sound a bit like my dim-witted brother.” Mereo finally said, her tone calmer than a moment before. “They are just weak, that’s their issue. But if you really want to go through the reports, I’m not stopping you,” she continued, making Solara raise an eyebrow. “Are you sure that I should? I mean, I’m not even a member of the Crimson Lion Kings.” She questioned, her gaze not wavering from Mereo’s. “I’ll make you a member. You said that you want to help, and quite frankly I don’t give a rat’s ass about paper work, but it needs to be done because otherwise the Mushroom head will have a stroke. Besides, I need someone to look after the cubs when I’m tied elsewhere.” Mereo continued, her voice unwavering and stern. Solara blinked, questioning if it would indeed be just *that* easy. “That simple? I mean, I’m all for doing this, but can I officially do that? I’m not a citizen of this country, and I have previous commitments to Thea. Additionally, I don’t think I should be seeing legal documentation of another nation.” They maintained eye contact, Mereo raising an eyebrow during the moment of silence that fell between them. “I don’t care what it says on paper, either you’re a Crimson Lion King in your heart or then you’re not. If you want to help, I’m giving you something that you can do. Besides, if you chose for some reason to betray this kingdom, you’d be personally accountable for *me*. And I would hunt you down to the ends of the Earth, and make you suffer before killing you.”

Solara’s expression became grave with the last sentence, as Mereo’s tone spoke of the seriousness of her statement. Once more silence fell between them, the seconds ticking away before Solara’s expression softened and she opened her mouth to reply. But a door opened and man emerged through the door. “Good da-“ the man began before being interrupted by Mereo. “Randal, round everybody up in 5 minutes. I need to give all your asses a beating. You got the memo, right?” Mereo crossed her arms, while raising an eyebrow at Randal, who blinked, having stopped in place with his hand still on the door handle. “Yes, Captain,” he only stated before taking a step back to execute Mereo’s orders. “Oh, one more thing,” she said, more factually than she had a habit of doing. Randal stopped as if hit by a brick wall and gazed at Mereo. His eyes reflecting a slight hint of terror, but quite honestly, Mereo’s stare alone could do away with lesser men. “This is Solara. She’s a part of the squad now so get her a cape.” Mereo paused, turning her gaze to Solara. “Unless she’s unwilling.” The sentence coming out as a statement rather than a question, which only made Solara smirk. “It’s a deal,” she spoke with a grin while looking Mereo straight in the eye, raising a smirk on her lips as well. “You heard her, now get a move on. You have 4 minutes,” Mereo grinned while glancing at Randal. “Yes Sir!” he exclaimed before disappearing from sight.

Silence fell into the room, only the sound of distancing steps echoing from the walls filling the air. “Knock yourself out,” Mereo smirked, her tone flowing from her much more gently than before. She gave Solara a smile and started making her way out, leaving Solara into the captain’s office with a pile of documents. She looked at them with a sigh. _Wonder where I should start?_ Her eyes started scanning through the room, landing onto a smaller filing cabinet that had been placed in the corner of the room slightly out of sight. _Ah, let’s see what’s in here._ Her steps carried her towards the cabinet, the drawer opening with ease. Her fingers danced on the edges of the documents as she searched for the previous assessment reports. _It looks like somebody likes to stay organized,_ she smiled as she found what she was looking for in no time.

Her eyes started reading through the file, her feet taking her to the large armchair without a second thought. She sat down, sinking in to the soft upholstery as the smell of mahogany seeped through the air, along with something else. A faint smell of… lavender? Something floral and yet it was faint, as if overwritten by another scent. _A hair care product of some kind….? What are you doing? Focus._ She shook her head as she tried to dispel the tantalizing smell that caressed her senses, inviting her to press her head against the back of the chair. And yet she closed her eyes and breathed it in, letting it fill her lungs only to flow out from her with a savouring hum. _What did I just say? You need to focus and besides, why are you acting like this?_ She scolded herself, opening her eyes and leaning forward over the desk to start revising the files.

She sat in silence going back and forth between documents and scratching her head. _This isn’t supposed to be that difficult. They look like standard issue forms, but some of these words are completely new to me. Though, what did I really expect? I haven’t had to converse with juridical terminology in this language really… ever, and now I’m supposed to be doing this. *Sigh* Maybe I bit up more than I can chew with this one._ Her eyes turned to the ceiling as she grimaced and rubbed her temples, but sadly the answers she sought were not written on the walls or the ceiling so she let her gaze wander for a moment as she tried to wrap her head around what she had just read. Her fingers gently tapped the wooden desk as another sigh left her and her eyes started circling around the room once more, landing onto the bookcase. _I wonder… could there be a…?_ She thought before getting up and making her way to the shelf.

She scanned through the books, unable to keep herself from smiling when her eyes landed on a legal dictionary at the corner of the bookcase. _I may not know who you are, but you and your systematisms have been my salvation._ She giggled to herself as she picked up the book and started flipping through the pages while returning to her seat. _Hmm…I see, suppose I could make notes for myself to have a quick reference page. Let’s see. Paper. Paper…_ Her eyes landed on the writing utensils carefully laid onto the right side of the desk. _You’re right-handed I take it. Which could mean that you’d store empty papers and documents onto the left side of your desk and move them to the right for storing…_ She peeked onto a top drawer on the left side, and found empty sheets of paper as well as a few ready-made documents that could just be filled out. Another gentle smile flashed across her complexion. _Huh, I was right. And I have a few templates for making new documentation._ A silent chuckle escaped her as she placed the empty sheet of paper onto the desk and her eyes started once more dancing on the ink filled pages, adoring every intricate detail and line of the beautifully crafted script written by a kind soul. Or one that she thought to be a gentle and caring soul, who put their heart and soul into their work. _I just hope that he also makes time for himself…_ she thought before zoning in on her work.


	3. The tugging of golden strings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solara will have an opportunity to meet the rest of Mereo's siblings, even if the encounter is left one-sided as the brother in question still is in a coma. But the strange feeling, that's been following her ever since the visitation to the Vermillion Estate, intensifies. It all makes he confused with her emotions, but despite trying, she can't deny them.

Solara sat by the desk, slowly familiarizing herself with the documents and lingo used, making notes for herself of the formatting and writing down phrases she still needed to run by someone, in order to be certain of their meaning. She stopped only to rub her temples every now and then, giving her brain time to process all of the information that came her way. Hours ticking away but she barely noticed, until she struggled to grasp even simple sentence structures and she concluded to herself that perhaps she ought to stop for the day.

It was then that the door swung open, Mereo standing in the doorway with her hand on her hip, and a raised eyebrow fixed on her complexion. “You still here?” Her tone was a strange combination of disappointment, amusement and disbelief, which in its absurdity made Solara chuckle. “Well, it’s not like you really showed me around the base anyways, so I figured that someone was bound to show up eventually. Besides, I had a decent amount of time to collect some notes and phrases that I need to-“. “Give it a rest,” Mereo interrupted while crossing her arms.

Silence fell between them as Solara put down the paper she was holding, frowning to Mereo, who close her eyes and sighed. “We both need to eat something,” she remarked, her gaze directed blankly ahead of her into the depths of the burgundy carpet. “And I was thinking that we’d make a small detour and go see my brothers before doing so,” she continued, her tone growing more silent. Solara’s frown melted as sorrow veiled over her complexion at the sight of her friend. “Of course. I suppose one of those meeting is long overdue,” she said, smiling to Mereo with a soft smile as she got up form the desk. Mereo’s gazed focused on her, lips curling up just enough to notice; their agreement being in the silent gaze they shared. But as they turned to leave Solara wasn’t quite sure if she actually heard Mereo murmur under her breath with gritted teeth: “They should’ve told me sooner,” or if it was just a figment of her imagination as she couldn’t picture her beast of a friend murmuring anything.

She glanced to Mereo from the corner of her eye, searching for any signs of confirmation for what she supposedly had just heard. Mereo’s expression had fallen back to that of a blank stare into distance, a telling sign of her being deep in thought. _I think… She probably thought out loud._ A careful smile rose back to Solara’s lips as Mereo started leading her forward without a word. _She’s not blaming herself, I know that much, but whoever it is that didn’t inform her of the situation faster than this… Well, I feel sorry for the poor soul._

\---

As they walked down the corridor, only the sounds of their steps echoed from the walls. During their travels there had been many silences that had fallen between them, but none had borne the weight of this one. Mereo’s gaze was on the floor, and though her expression was stern and unwavering, it spoke of her worry. Solara knew that Mereo was the type to never show even the slightest traces of weakness, but she wasn’t made of stone. She had feelings just like everyone else, and this, this was her sorrow. It was woven into the unsaid words that hung in the air, and hidden behind her eyes that now seemed distant.

They reached a door, but before Mereo could open it, Solara placed her hand on Mereo’s shoulder. A soft smile emerged on Solara’s lips; her eyes instead filled with grief as they looked at each other for a moment that seemed longer than what it must’ve actually been. The frown on Mereo’s complexion softened and a careful smile tugged the corners of her lips as well, while her other hand curled into a fist. Mereo turned to face Solara, nudging her onto her shoulder with the said hand before taking a hold of the handle with the other. Solara only nodded in reply, letting go of Mereo as she opened the door.

Leo was standing next to the bed with a blank expression, sunlight cascading into the room from the window under which laid a figure. Solara looked at the young lion as his eyes still lingered on his brother while Mereo closed the door. Leo finally turned to look at them, getting them with a stern tone, lacking his former enthusiasm and cheerfulness. All of which was more than understandable, but still filled Solara with melancholy. Mereo only nodded to her brother as she walked over to the bed, the two siblings standing on opposite sides of the bed like guardians to their brother. Silence hung heavy over them as neither had anything to say, or perhaps too much to say.

Solara saw Leo’s hand curling into a fist and by instinct she moved closer to him from the foot of the bed, but as she did so, she felt another tug deep in her chest. As if pulled by threads of silken cobweb her eyes turned to the figure that laid in the bed, and nothing could have prepared her for what followed. Despite all the whispers of the walls, the lingering implores and the unexplained warmth, she couldn’t have anticipated the twisting of strings of faith around her heart. She stopped in place, seeing nothing but him as she placed one of her hands on the footboard of the bed, fingers curling around it.

Her ears registered the fight that erupted between Leo and Mereo, but it was distant as if in a dream. There as something about Mereo being wrong about their brother and Mereo shutting his opinions down, but Solara couldn’t concentrate on it. Not any of it. All she felt was the entwining of golden threads around her soul into a tight embrace that had previously only existed as passing breaths, but now pulled her closer and closer. But she knew that she couldn’t. She couldn’t just sit at his bedside and take his hand onto hers, letting herself to be submerged into the endless ocean of the fondest emotions. She couldn’t. No. And yet the threads kept pulling and wrapped tighter around her heart, sinking into it, clenching it and tearing it, but still… she couldn’t.

And the worst part was that she couldn’t explain why she felt the unexplained deep desire to hold his hand and assure him that it was all going to be alright. She couldn’t hold him in her arms and stroke his hair while humming a gentle tune to his ear, and for the life of her, she couldn’t tell why she had such feelings for a stranger. _But he feels familiar. As if I’ve known him all my life. How- why am I-? I just feel like crawling into the bed and laying down next to him would be the most natural thing in the world. I could nuzzle against his neck and press a gentle kiss onto his cheek while placing my hand on his chest and…. And what am I thinking?! There is absolutely no reason for me to feel like this. Yes, he’s handsome I’ll give him that, and I’ve been told that… what have I actually been told? Well, Mereo calls him stupid constantly, but I take it that it’s all just because they’re siblings. I know that Leo looks up to him, so he must be very capable… But none of that explains anything. I’ve seen aesthetically pleasing, or handsome, men before who’ve been courteous and kind, and I’ve never felt such longing for them._ Her fingers curled tighter around the footboard as she battled with herself.

Then a memory flashed through her mind. Solara remember her mother telling her about something like this when she was young, but much like most children, she hadn’t imprinted the conversation into her mind. _What was it that she said? Something about… “Your father and I, we gravitated towards each other. It was something that neither of us anticipated, but it was… like a cosmic dance where I was being pulled to him as much as he was pulled to me. And for this brief passing second we call life, we’ll keep tumbling towards each other, refusing to let go.” Something like that. I think it was along those lines. So… Is that what this is? Lo- Lov- No. It can’t be. I don’t know him, unlike my parents who knew each other. My faith isn’t tied to him… and even if it was, it doesn’t mean that his would be tied to mine. These whispers of belonging, they must be mistaken. The Tree of Binding Fates might be yet to tell me…_ She swallowed and was woken from her thought with a slamming door as Mereo left the room. Leaving the three of you in silence.

Leo’s brows were furrowed and he clenched his jaw, his entire body seeming tense. “It’s going to be alright Leo,” Solara tried as she took a few steps closer to him with an empathetic smile. “But aneue shouldn’t say that! Aniue’s been working so hard for the squad, and when he comes back, he’ll prove her wrong!” His statement was firm and filled with young lion’s pride. Solara placed her hand onto his shoulder, feeling him relax under her touch. “I just… I just wish that I could help him recover,” Leo muttered, probably for the first time in his life.

His statement radiated with the purest of wishes, which took Solara aback for a moment as she felt her already bleeding heart cry for him, for the both of them. “He knows that you’re here, standing by him,” Solara comforted while casting another soft smile to his direction. “How can you know?” Leo asked while turning to her, his eyes pleading as he wanted to believe her statement. “Well,” she paused for a moment as her thumb brushed the crumbs of uncertainty from his shoulder. “I’ve been told that people in a coma can still hear what happens around them. So, he hears your voice and what you tell him. And even if you didn’t talk to him or in the unlikely event where he couldn’t hear you for some other reason, I’m certain that he feels your strong mana around, rooting for him to come back.” She paused once more as Leo processed her words. “He knows that you’re there for him. I’m sure of it. You’ve always believed in him, and he’ll always believe in you.” The young lion blinked and a careful smile emerged onto his lips as he looked at his brother.

“But,” Leo paused, thinking how he should formulate his question. “If I want to make sure that he knows that I’m here, I should just talk to him?” He asked, turning to look at Solara once again. She only nodded as a reply while retracting her hand as she saw certainty rising back to his eyes. “Does it matter what I talk to him about?” He continued, looking at Solara intently. “Hmmm,” she hummed while her eyes shifted to the ceiling as she thought. “I don’t believe it does. I’ve heard that some even read books to their loved ones because they don’t really know what to say, so they’ve felt that to be an easy starting point.” She smiled as her gaze fell back to Leo, who was still staring at Solara with wide eyes. “Is that something you’d like to try?” Solara continued as her head tilted a bit, the comforting smile ever-present on her complexion.

Leo’s gaze shifted to his brother as he thought. “I don’t really know that many storybooks…” he mumbled as his gaze fell to the floor. The veil of sympathy wrapped tighter around Solara’s complexion as the corners of her lips tugged further, for she felt the bond these two brothers shared, and which made the moment all the more melancholic. “Well, do you know if he had one? Or if there was one that he used to read when he was younger?” She inquired, hoping to lead his train of thought forth into a haven of hope. And as his expression brightened, quite like the light of awaking dawn which repels the shadows of night each morning with the rising sun, Solara felt warmth spreading across her body. “Yes! There was a book he said he liked when he was my age! It was… um…” Leo seemed to have regained his energetic self in a blink of an eye. He put a hand on his hip as another scratched his head, while he tried to remember the name of the book. “I can’t remember,” he admitted before continuing. “But he gave me the book! So, I can just read it to him and he knows that I’m here, right?” Enthusiasm seeped from his entire being, his both hands now held in front of him, ready to face the obstacles laid before him.

Solara nodded to him, her action only fuelling him further. “I’ll go get it right now!” He exclaimed and started running. Solara followed him to the doorway and called out after him:” Leo! There’s time for that later, but you should…” her voice faded with the sentence as the vermillion haired boy had already disappeared behind a corner. “Get something to eat first…” she finished her sentence, out loud, but speaking to no one. Her posture slouched forth as she sighed, but regained as soon as she heard steps approaching her.

Solara turned around to see Randal walking to her direction with a cape in hand. “Hello,” she greeted as she turned around, giving him a smile. “Hello,” he replied and paused, thinking if he should make a comment or not. “You’ll have to excuse Leopold, he’s quite energetic and very quick on his feet.” He stated, his tone staying steady and formal. “Ah, it’s completely understandable,” she smiled, loosely waving her hand in front of her as if to brush off the action. Randal only nodded as a reply while taking the last few steps towards her and handed out the cape he was holding. “Here’s the cape Captain Mereoleona requested for you. Welcome to the squad,” he smiled. As far as Solara could tell, he was being sincere, but given that she had just taken over some of his work there was something she wished to ask. She knew that the action could be seen as interfering with his territory. Thus, she felt a compelling need to clarify something to him as she took the cape from him, holding it in her arms. “Thank you. I’m glad to be here. But can I clarify something with you?” She asked, her smile turning to that of slight hesitance.

Randal’s expression turned to that of intrigue as he replied: “Of course.” There was no judgement, nor even a hint of malice in his eyes, which alleviated Solara’s worry. “Well, as the newest addition to the squad I know that I technically shouldn’t be taking care of any of the paperwork, and my intention isn’t to step on your toes. So, if you feel like I’m overstepping my boundaries and crossing onto your territory as the Vice Captain, I do hope that you tell me.” She gave him an awkward smile, hoping that she had succeeded in relaying her intentions. Randal seemed surprised for a brief second before the expression faded and a smile rose to his lips as his gaze fell to the side. “Well, as long as we’re having an honest conversation,” he paused long enough to gaze back at Solara. “I’m glad to finally have someone to do the work with me. You see, before the work was divided between myself and Captain Fuegoleon. And during the time he has been incapable of completing those duties, it has all fallen onto my shoulders. So, I’m- I’m afraid that I’ve fallen behind,” he admitted, a shadow of shame passed over his complexion and he sighed. “I’m just glad to have someone to help me, and I trust that Captain Mereoleona wouldn’t assign you to it if she wasn’t certain that you could take care of it,” he smiled, gratitude radiating from his expression. And with that the last traces of hesitance washed from Solara, making her feel lucky to have been welcomed with such warmth.

“I do hope to live up to the expectations,” she chuckled. “But there are a few questions I’d like to ask regarding the forms and lingo. As this isn’t my native language, I seem to find myself struggling a bit already,” she admitted with a slight frown. “Of course. I’m happy to help the _helper_ ,” he smirked with good will, making Solara giggle. He joined her in her laughter for a brief moment as they shared gratitude for one another. Once the laughter settled down, she continued: “So, is this a good moment or… um?” She asked, tilting her head slightly. “Well dinner is served soon, so we can start at the dinner table if you feel comfortable with it. Or then we can talk afterwards.” He thought out loud, his gaze shifting to the ceiling before falling back to her. “Either is fine for me. After all, in addition to my questions you need to fill me in on the most pressing matters that should be taken care of post haste,” she shrugged. “True,” Randal nodded as silence fell between them for a moment. Both thinking where should they start. “Well, if we start already on our way to the mess hall, we’ll get matters moving quicker,” she stated, earning another nod of agreement form Randal.

Solara closed the door to Fuegoleon’s sickroom, seeing his form from the corner of her eye which caused the golden strings once more to clench around her heart. A veil of sorrow passed her complexion as the walls whispered to her once more, imploring her to stay. _I can’t._ She only thought, trying to brush it all away from herself, but only succeeding to press it deep down into the back of her head. _This’ll pass. I’m sure of it. This is a crush and nothing more, so it’ll pass. All I have to do is wait it out._ She tried to convince herself, force herself to believe that to be the case, but the flicker of hope is one the hardest thing to snuff out, only allowing her to deny its existence. But it remained, small, and quiet, but it remained. She could push it away as much as she wanted, and try to deny it to the best of her ability, but it still flickered.

The door closed, alleviating her aching heart. The feeling grew quieter as they walked away, beginning the discussion on what Solara already knew about the tasks at hand, and moving to comparing the differences in legal procedures between Clover Kingdom and Thea. But only to the extent where they were able to confirm or invalidate similar practices, based on which they’d be able to determine areas that needed to be addressed further. Their conversation carrying through the dinner, Solara being seated near Randal in order to keep the conversation going. Mereo appearing and only making a comment on them finding common ground rather quickly, but not otherwise interfering with the conversation. Everyone seemed friendly, making introductions and making some friendly conversation, but still giving room for Solara and Randal to finish their discussion. The only one to arrive late for dinner was Leo, a frown painted over his complexion once more. Solara’s brow furrowed at the sight of him, but she didn’t wish to hurt the young lion’s pride and address the issue right there, in front of everyone.

“Hey, Leo?” She asked in a suitable point of the flowing conversation. “Yeah?” he asked, clearly trying to hide his troubles and putting on a brave face, but his tone spoke far too loud of the worry that must’ve curled into his bones once more. “There’s something I’d like to talk about with you a bit later on, if that’s okay?” She gave him a reassuring smile, making the corners of his lips turn slightly upwards. “Yeah, it’s alright.” He stated with a weak smile, a flicker of gratitude passing through his eyes. “Wonderful,” she only said, not wanting to make a scene of the situation, all others seeming to pay no attention to the brief interaction or thinking nothing of it. Only Mereo raised an eyebrow, but opted to say nothing.

\---

After dinner Solara and Randal spent a considerable amount of time in the Captain’s and Randal’s offices, revising documents and laying groundwork for the following day, sun already having set as they were able to wrap things up. Solara left Randal’s office, only to find Leo waiting behind a corner. “Hey,” she greeted, giving him a tired smile. “Hey,” he replied his gaze falling to the side. “What’s going on?” she asked as guilt of making him wait this long tugged at her heartstrings. “I-,” he paused as he held out a book, his eyes falling to its cover. “I tried to read it to him, but I kept skipping over lines, or reading them twice, and then sometimes I had to stop to pronounce words correctly, and it wasn’t good story telling…” his confession falling from him onto the book and tumbling down onto the floor with a loud clang that echoed around the hallway.

Seeing him so defeated twisted her heart, subsiding her own fatigue as sadness washed over her. “Maybe it’d help if you first read the chapter to yourself quietly and then read it to him,” she suggested, trying to meet Leo’s gaze. He only grit his teeth, his fingers curling tighter around the book. “I tried that, but it didn’t help,” he forced the words out of his throat, their sharp corners slicing his tongue on their way out. A brief silence fell between them as Solara search for words of comfort to give him, but feeling powerless to help him. After all, there was so little she could actually do for him, and that little felt so inadequate. “May I?” she asked while holding her hand out, Leo’s gaze lifting only enough to reach the tips of her fingers. He said nothing, but handed the book to her, his eyes travelling with the motion as Solara held the book out to herself. She turned the pages to the first chapter, letting her index finger glide across the lines. _The spacing between the lines is quite thin actually. It’d be difficult to keep track while reading out loud even if using a finger as a cursor._ She thought for a moment, but as she became aware of her note sheet that was still in her hand from her talks with Randal, an idea dawned on her.

“Hmm,” she hummed as she took the paper and folded it to only reveal a blank surface. She placed the folded edge under the first line and began to read, moving the paper and revealing new lines as the story advanced, but stopped after the first paragraph. Her eyes lifted from the book and met with Leo’s, whose were now wide open, his mouth agape. “See, you can use a blank piece of paper to help you keep track of the line you’re on,” she smiled and held the book out, handing it back to Leo. “You should read to him!” Leo exclaimed, making Solara’s brows shoot up in surprise. “I-,” she paused as her expression softened back to what it had been, “Wasn’t this supposed to be for him to know that *you* are there for him?” she asked, but feeling a tiny bit flattered. “What matters is that he knows that somebody is there for him! It doesn’t matter if it’s me reading or someone else, as long as he knows,” Leo stated firmly while taking Solara’s hand and started pulling her towards the sick room. “Leo, I-,” she began, but didn’t really know what to say. Still Leo heard the hesitance in her voice, so he turned around to look at her, his hand still holding on. “Would you read to him, please?” his tone was stern and determined, telling her just how much this meant to him, but what made Solara unable to turn down his request, even if she had wanted to, was the implore in his eyes. She looked straight at him, seeing that he wasn’t going to give up without resistance, and quite frankly Solara had no objections in going along with his wish, given that he indeed was fine with her reading in his place.

She blinked slowly, her expression melting to that of a soft smile and sympathetic gaze as she replied: “if that’s what you wish.” Leo’s eyes lit up once more as a prominent smile rose to his lips in triumph. “I can listen too, can’t I?” he asked, excitement radiated through his question as his grip of her grew more intense with his enthusiasm. “I see why not,” she said, tilting her head as she hadn’t really imagined herself ever reading to people, but saw no harm in it. _I can’t really say that I’m a storyteller, but if it makes him feel better, suppose it’s alright._ She thought as Leo started pulling her forward once more. “Um, Leo? Where are we going?” She asked, raising an eyebrow. “To aninue! Let’s start the story already today!” He didn’t as much as turn his head back to Solara, only focused to move forward. _*Sigh* It’s already late, and we both should be going to bed… But if it’s just for tonight, then suppose it’ll be fine. For the future we need to establish some kind of a schedule though, but… as things are already in motion, suppose staying up a little bit later for today is acceptable._ She frowned slightly, but said nothing as she knew this to mean a lot to him, destroying his newfound feeling of security and comfort being the last thing she wished to do.

“Leo, there’s no need for you to pull me. I can walk on my own,” her tone staying calm and gentle, but was spoken loudly enough for him to make no mistake. “Oh right. Sorry,” he stated as he glanced to her and let go, rubbing the back of his head briefly. “It’s alright,” she replied as they continued forward, a more profound silence lingering in the air as the base was starting to quiet down. And as it did, she pull towards the sick room grew more intense. The tugging and twisting made her want to run, but it’d do no good. It’d serve no purpose and she had no right. She grit her teeth, once more wanting to snuff out the lingering feeling, but didn’t get very far.

Eventually they reached the room, Solara forcing herself to keep her gaze away from the man who laid on the bed. Which proved to be difficult as she sat down on a chair next to him, Leo moving a chair on the opposite side facing her. _Just concentrate on the book and take deep breaths. This’ll pass. It’s nothing._ She held the book out and began reading, Leo listening to her intently as the story unfolded. Minutes ticked away, but none noticed the time passing as they were immersed with the plot.

As the first chapter ended, Solara put down the book, telling Leo that they should get to sleep. He protested, but gave in as they agreed to continue tomorrow. Darkness prevailing outside and the only light source in the room being a single candle that cast its soft glow around, shadows dancing with the flickering flame. Solara encouraged Leo to get some sleep as she summoned her radiating claws to cats some more light into the room before snuffing out the candle. “I’m not that tired,” Leo yawned, making Solara raise an eyebrow at him; a hint which he understood and got up to leave. Solara stayed behind to move the chairs away from the bed, making a few yawns of her own. But as she passed the man in deep, deep slumber, she couldn’t help but whisper out a question: “Who are you to me?” A pointless question she needed to ask for reasons that she couldn’t fathom, and yet… despite knowing that she wouldn’t get an answer, she felt strange comfort rising from it. As if acknowledging him, they would have gotten closer, the tugging of the strings of faith easing up for the moment. She scoffed at herself for being ridiculous and shook her head while making her way to the door. But as she was about to make her leave, the door being open by a mere crack anymore, she stopped and whispered: “Good night.” Her voice barely reaching her own ears, the action making her feel like a fool once more. But with those words she was able to close the door and retire for the night, wondering if staying here actually was a good idea as she questioned her sanity. But still, leaving seemed more painful than it should. So, for now she settled for rubbing her temples and trying to work her way around the emotions that she shouldn’t have had. _This will pass._ A sentence that became a mantra for her. A mantra that lost gravity each time she repeated it.


	4. "It is only a crush"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solara begins her work with the Crimson Lion Kings, and tells a bit about the Thean aristocracy, while wondering if she should. Later Mereo comes to her with a request that she can't, and doesn't want to, turn down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!  
> I'm sorry for taking almost 2 weeks to post the next chapter, but that probably will be the pace for some time.  
> I have understood that there's been interest towards Thea (Solara's home country) and though I haven't yet explained a lot, for a reason that will later surface, I'm giving some footing for characters to ask questions in he near future. Also, I've added bracket such as [these] for parts that are meant to be said in Thean, so canon characters wouldn't, most likely, understand it.  
> If you're interested I've been talking a bit about Thea on my tumblr @thoughtfullyrainynightmare as well as Solara's family. I also have more fanfic written on said platform. Thanks for reading!

Morning. Another morning dawned, making Solara’s eyes flutter open. _Do I have to?_ She asked herself as she still felt the weight of her eyelids from last night, but fully well knowing the answer to her question. So, she sighed and sat up, not daring to stay laying in bed any longer in fear of falling back to sleep. It was only her second day with the squad and there was so much to be done, so much to catch up to. And she didn’t want to be the newest addition, who slept in right before having to start actually working.

She got up, got dressed and brushed her hair, still tugging her pendant under her clothes and started making her way out of the door. But she was struck with a sensation of having forgotten something and stopped in her tracks. Her gaze went around the room, before landing onto a cape. _*Sigh* I can’t believe I almost forgot. I wore it yesterday, but suppose it still hasn’t grown in on me._ She made her way to the red piece of fabric and swung it around her, taking a last glimpse of herself from the mirror as her hair draped over the vermillion braids attached on the front side of it. _I wonder what’s the story behind these?_ She thought while her fingers fumbled with the braids before shrugging and turning away to leave, while her mind immersed itself with the tasks to be completed for the day.

She took out the list of matters that would require her immediate attention, giving it a quick read through as her feet carried her towards the mess hall. A sigh escaped her as she could already feel exhaustion weighing her down as she knew that today wasn’t going to be easy. _I wonder if I can do this right? Well, I mean, this is what I’m expected to do at home as well. And this is something that I have done… at home… But that is precisely what makes it difficult. Or one of the things. I can’t just get caught up in trying to learn the appropriate terminology in this language, but I have to take into account that all the practises that I’m used to, don’t apply here. So, even if something is given, I should regardless, most likely, still check it up with Randal…_ She was woken from her thought by a cheerful voice calling out to her: “Solara aneue!” Her eyes landed on Leo, who waved to her with a bright smile on his face. She folded the paper back into her pocket as a smile tugged her lips. “Morning Leo,” she greeted with slightly less enthusiasm as he had, but all things given, was to be expected. “Morning!” He flashed her a grin before continuing, “we’ll continue the story tonight, right?” His entire being oozed excitement as they met in a crossing of two hallways merging into a larger one that eventually would lead to the mess hall.

“Of course,” she replied with a pause of her own, “as long as it we don’t get to it quite as late as yesterday,” she smiled. “Sure!” he exclaimed as they continued their way forward. A brief silence fell between them as there was something Solara wished to ask him, but wasn’t quite sure as to how. But she decided to ask it just how it was, without tip toeing around it even if it might’ve been something obvious in this kingdom. “Leo? Can I ask you something?” she inquired, giving him a gentle gaze. “Hm? Sure thing aneue,” he flashed her with an energetic smile, clearly focusing on her. “What does ‘aneue’ mean?” She tilted her head in with an apologetic smile as his eyes turned to her.

He blinked before his eyes shifted to the floor, his hand rubbing the back of his head. “Well… it means ‘big sister’…” he mumbled, as if he had only then realized calling her such. “I just thought that you are very sisterly so I… but I can stop if you don’t want me to call you that,” he stated, a bit more firmly this time, as if to assure her of his statement. “Leo,” Solara began, as the apology left her complexion and reassurance took its place. “I’d be honoured if you call me ‘big sis’,” she continued, making the young lion’s face light up. “Really?!” he exclaimed without a moment of hesitation, to which Solara only nodded. “I’m so glad! Mereo aneue is lucky to have made a friend like you, and so am I since you’re my friend too. And I’m sure that aniue would like you too!” Leo started pouring his thoughts out without a care in the world, but Solara could feel her heart skipping a beat at the mention of his brother.

 _The hell is going on with me? I really should get myself checked, since this can’t be normal. I can’t- I don’t even know him! Yes, I keep telling myself that, but it’s true. There is absolutely no reason for me to-_ “Solara aneue?” Leo’s voice pierced through her thoughts once more. “Yes?” she asked with a smile, which was met with a frown on Leo’s complexion. “Is everything okay?” His tone sounded worried, too much so for her liking as he shouldn’t be worrying for her. “Yes, everything is fine,” she assured him, but saw no difference in his expression. “I’m just a little… apprehensive, since I’ll be starting the work with Randal today and there’s a lot to consider.” She admitted; her statement being truthful, though not the reason for her distracted behaviour. 

“I’m sure you can do it! Mereo aneue wouldn’t have given you the job if you couldn’t!” he cheered, making Solara let out a small chuckle. “Thank you, Leo,” she smiled. “I have no reason to doubt that, as it’s not a completely new territory for me. But given that there are so many similarities, is precisely what makes it difficult, since I might not even realize that I’m deviating from the norm.” Leo listened intently to her explanation, eyes wide open, as they reached their destination. “Were you in a magic knight squad before coming here too?” he asked through the chatter of the room as they made their way to the dining table.

“No,” she replied. “Thea doesn’t have magic knight squads per se, even if each of the noble Houses have their hands tied in certain aspects of the government. It’s just that since the Equinoxes and Eclipses have always worked closely with the Royal House, I’ve been schooled to attend such matters. Though nowadays it’s only the Equinoxes. With the assistance of the rest of the noble houses.” Her explanation continuing as they sat down, tension building in her stomach. _I can’t say a lot more. Yes, I’ve already been shown a lot of trust on their, which is why I can tell this much, right? Yes. I’m sure that it’s fine. After all, it’s given that building relationships with other nations is relies on interactions and… trust… I have no right to show them distrust._ The tug of guilt contested with the built-up tension as she tried to keep a straight face. _I just haven’t disclosed this much already this early on. Though technically I’ve known Mereo for some time already, even if it’s a matter of weeks. And I’ve been told that I’m too apprehensive._ She smiled to Leo, who was quick to inquire more: “So you’re royal too?” he asked, enthusiasm clear from his tone. “No, no. That title is reserved only to the Queen and her family,” she replied, the corners of her mouth staying as they were. _Yeah, I should open up more. And I- I want to trust them. So, I suppose I can tell them, as log as it’s within the confines of the law._ “But nobility nevertheless?” Solara turned to look at Randal who was taking a seat beside her. “Yes,” she replied, but as she saw Randal’s expression, she realized how she had been inconsiderate.

“May I ask why you didn’t mention it before?” His question being more than reasonable, her gaze shifted from him momentarily. “Well, quite frankly, I thought of it to be of little significance. After all, if I’m here as a member of the squad, I want to be recognized as myself. The status of being noble is only a small part of who I am, and I don’t want that to be the defining factor of my being. So, I didn’t think much more of it.” A small pause fell between them as they gazed at each other, Randal giving her a nod. “Titles can be burdening, so I can understand your reasoning, but still I would’ve liked to know.” His tone was laced with sadness as he looked away, a slight frown decorating his complexion.

Solara opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted. “What does it matter if she’s nobility or not? I don’t go rubbing my titles into people’s faces.” Mereo stated while taking a seat by the table, raising her eyebrow and giving a stern look to Randal’s direction. “The strong are strong, and the weak are weak. It’s as simple as that and titles have nothing to do with it,” she continued, making Randal swallow. “But it bears similar connotations as not telling one’s name, does it not? Or giving a false one. Which can make a person feel betrayed,” Solara remarked, giving Mereo a smile, who stayed quiet for a moment. “Isn’t that statement against yourself?” she asked, pointing out the contradiction. “Yes,” Solara admitted, “but while I agree with your statement of a title not being an indicator of strength, or their character for that matter, I can also understand why my actions can be seen as hurtful. I didn’t intend it as such, but...” she sighed, “but that’s what I did.” She looked at Mereo, who only nodded, before turning to Randal. “And I apologize for it,” she said, meaning every word.

Randal gave her a small smile as he replied: “It’s all forgiven and forgotten, Lady Equinox.” Solara grinned at the mention of her title, letting out a small chuckle. “Just ‘Solara’ is fine, as it has until now.” They shared a glance and turned their attention to breakfast, Leo looking as if he was about to ask more, but was told by Mereo, rather forcefully, to eat. Solara’s lips tugged into a smile as she saw the display of sisterly affection, even if it was given in a way that was more than characteristic to Mereo.

 _This really does feel like home… So, I’ll- I’ll treat it as one, and I’ll put my faith in them. Within the realms of what I am allowed to say and reveal, as I still have a duty to my people as well. I can’t just go around doing quite as I please, and the regulations are there for a reason. A good reason. But just as I’m curious about them, they’re curious about me and my culture. It’s given, but it seems that I’ve been blind to it. And I’ve really only been passing through countries until now… or then they’ve been Ally Countries, so they know about us already. This, this is completely new to me. To be welcomed into a new nation like this, and…_ she bit down her molars, trying to conceal it as her chewing down her food. _And I’m giving these impressions… And they’re rightful impressions in the sense that I really am not revealing everything. But then again, who would? There are things that they won’t tell me, which is only smart of them. But I’m glad. I’m glad that I’ve found people such as these._ She smiled as she let her gaze wander around the room, the happy faces and the continuous flow of conversation.

\---

“Could you start by revising these documents?” Randal asked while handing Solara a list of the files. She let her gaze dance over the lines for a moment before replying: “Yes, of course.” She paused as her eyes lifted from the paper. “Something I forgot to ask yesterday.” “Hm?” Randal uttered, letting Solara ask her question. “You showed me the archives, but I can’t recall being told where I’ll be working,” Randal blinked at her remark, gears turning in his head as he gazed to the ceiling. “This was a sudden change of events,” he sighed. “But I suppose, for now, you could use the Captain’s office. If it suits Captain Mereoleona, of course,” he paused as his eyes feel back down. “If not, I’ll think of an alternative solution, or then we just need to prepare an office quickly. Though, that we’d need to do soon in any case,” he shrugged, an action to which Solara joined. “I don’t mind either way, but if Mereo allows it I can do these in her office while waiting for being supplied with my own,” she stated while lifting the document in her hand slightly upwards. Randal gave her a nod before bidding her off and heading to his own office to start his own work for the day.

Solara made her way to the Captain’s office, not too far from Randal’s, and knocked on the door even if she couldn’t feel the flutter of Mereo’s mana anywhere nearby. There was no reply, but still Solara stood in place for a moment. _I suppose she’s out taking care of more pressing matters…_ She thought while opening the door and discovering the room exactly as she had left it the day before. _Well… I can’t say that I’m surprised._ She smirked to herself while closing the door and heading for the archives to retrieve the necessary files for the tasks at hand.

\---

Solara tapped her fingers against the wooden surface of the mahogany desk as she let out a sigh. _It really has been a while huh,_ the thought weighing her as she felt the pressure in her chest as frustration was trying to break free from her. _This use to be second nature to me. Or well, not exactly. But I used to be more efficient than this. I really am not making mother proud at the moment, nor myself for that matter… Though suppose it’s understandable. It’ll take time to get myself back on a roll with this._ She lifted a cup of tea onto her lips and took a sip. The amber coloured liquid warmed her bones, melting away some of the tension from her.

 _It was really nice of Gareth to bring me tea._ She smiled to herself. _Everyone is being so kind. It seems like this squad is a kind of a family where everyone is seen as their own people. As individuals and not ‘just’ members of a squad. I think I’ll really enjoy it here._ She leaned back in the chair with the cup in hand, her head resting against the soft lining. The scent of lavender lingered around her again, bringing her a sense of comfort for her that she couldn’t remember knowing before. She could feel her eyelids closing as the feeling of being at peace wrapped around as if a warm blanket on a cold winter’s day. Her grip of the cup loosened, as she took a deep breath and let out a hum. But before she was overtaken by the sweet cradling of gentle sleep, her eyes cracked open, only to see the still remaining tea in the cup nearing the edge of the tilted piece of porcelain. She regained her composure just in time. “[Really? Now I’m spilling my drinks as well. Almost. That’s just great…]” she mumbled sarcastically in Thean, right before the door opened.

Mereo walked in an raised an eyebrow at her. “Did you say something?” she asked, even if certain that she had heard Solara mumbling under her breath. “Hm? Ah, yeah, it was…” she paused and set the cup back onto the table. “Nothing important. I was just mumbling out my frustration. That’s all,” she sighed and glanced at Mereo who closed the door on her way in, giving her a nod. “I’ve never been a fan of pushing pencils, so I’d be doing more than just mumbling it out,” she smirked while crossing her arms and walked over to the desk. Solara chuckled with a veil of tiredness over her tone, but giving Mereo a genuine smile afterwards as she felt the twitch of the last threads of frustration being unspun from her. “Oh, I can believe that,” she smirked right back, making them let out a small chuckle in unison.

“Anyways,” Solara began, her tone settling back to a more serious one. “Do you mind if I work here while they’re setting up an office for me?” She looked at her friend, who let out a shrug. “I don’t mind. It’s not like I’ll be spending a lot of time here, so there’s no hurry.” Solara felt her eyebrow tugging at the statement, but brushed it off quickly as she knew Mereo. “Actually, there’s something I need to tell you,” Mereo’s tone lowering as if weighed down by gravity as heavy clouds settled into the room and her gaze fell to the crimson carpet.

“Yes?” Solara frowned as worry crept to her, the feeling of restlessness tangling to it, eating her insides. “There’s something that needs my attention, more than the Crimson Lion Kings at this time. They just appointed me as a captain of the squad, but things have been brewing for longer they should’ve. Things that should’ve been dealt with yesterday, but,” Mereo sighed, her gaze lifting to meet Solara’s. “That’s what you get when you leave men unattended,” Mereo’s statement was stern and unwavering, the seriousness of which both amused and affirmed Solara. “And now they’re sending you to set things straight?” She laughed while giving Mereo a smirking smile. “That’s precisely what they’re doing, and not a moment too soon,” Mereo smirked back, before her smile faded from her complexion. “But I’m planning on getting even and making them pay for what they did to Fuego,” her worry dripping from her syllables and nothing else, as all the fearless Lioness knew, was to move forward. Despite having a roaring ocean of emotions beneath the surface of her ocean blue eyes, no, that was an emotion she couldn’t summon forth.

“So, you need me to stay here?” Solara asked, hoping to pull Mereo from the sea of turmoil. The pair of ocean eyes turned to Solara. “I need you to keep the cubs in check while I’m gone,” the statement flowing from Mereo, and yet still inflicting gravity and implore that twisted Solara’s heart. “If that is what you want. Though they could probably get by even without me,” Solara smiled, her eyes radiating compassion, which made Mereo give a subtle smile to her direction. “Ha,” Mereo scoffed. “They were years without having a woman looking after them, and look where that got them. Ranking 5th in the Star Festival… Never has the squad been humiliated like that before,” Mereo’s tone grew graver, as her eyes lit up with irritation. “I’ll do my best,” Solara affirmed, hoping to shift the conversation to other things. Mereo only nodded to the statement, letting out a sigh and pausing for a moment.

“I’m taking the squad out for training tomorrow to the strong magic region. They all could use a proper training session.” Solara blinked at Mereo’s statement in surprise, but her complexion was soon washed with relief. “First thing in the morning then?” She asked, her lips turning upwards. But Mereo’s eyes shifted from her momentarily again. “Actually, I was hoping that you could stay here and look after, the base.” There was a small pause in Mereo’s statement, telling Solara that it wasn’t the base itself that Mereo was concerned about, but rather who laid there.

A veil of melancholy cascaded over her complexion as she felt the golden strings of fate clenching her heart while empathy pulled it down to her stomach, the tugging, twisting and squeezing making her feel slight nausea. But she forced the softest smile she possibly could onto her lips as she simply replied: “Of course.” A trace of relief was cast onto Mereo’s complexion as she smiled and nodded to Solara. The action making Solara’s condition ease, even if for a tiny bit, but it didn’t remove the weight in her chest. Solara, just as Mereo, was still bound by worry.

 _She worries so much for her brother, and… so do I, even if- Worrying for another isn’t a bad trait, no, but I- I have felt others’ sorrows as mine, but this isn’t like that. This… this is worry of my own, and I know, I know I keep telling myself that, but I have no reason to feel like this. Do I, do I have a right to feel like this?_ Solara interrupted her train of thought and directed a question to Mereo: “Are you going out with the squad today already, or tomorrow perhaps?” A hint of gratitude for not getting caught up with her worry passed through Mereo’s eyes as her posture straightened back to the epitome of strength and determination that it usually was. “Yes. Though there’s a couple of others I need to collect before heading out,” Mereo smirked as if training in the strong magic region would’ve been a game.

“In that case, I’ll keep the base standing until you come back,” Solara grinned, making Mereo scoff amusedly. “See that you do,” Mereo remarked before heading off and leaving Solara alone with her thoughts once more. _It’s not like I don’t want to watch after his brother. It’s not like I… wouldn’t, want to, ta-ke, care, of him…_ The admission was forced, but a truthful one. And yet her jaw clenched. _I do want to. And it’s important for Mereo as well, so suppose there’s no issue…_ She sighed and continued with her work, but her mind drifted off from the world of legislation and documentation each time the smell of lavender reached her.

\---

Evening had already started to fall and the base was quiet. Not a sound pierced through the shadows as Solara gazed outside into the distance. The squad still hadn’t returned, but given where they had gone, it was no surprise. And though Solara had wished to get better acquainted with everyone, being able to spend a quiet evening all by herself wasn’t a cause of complaint for her.

She had made herself dinner, filling the kitchen with a faint humming of a tune and the smell of food, feeling grateful of the fact that she had learned the basics of cooking despite her noble upbringing. Though, she had to admit that she wouldn’t have done so if her mother hadn’t advised her to know such a skill. After all, if she wished to immerse herself into other cultures, it was more than useful to be able to converse with all citizens and not just with those of a distinct bloodline. And thus, knowing at least the very basics of some domestic tasks would give and easy starting point for some friendly conversation. But as she was alone at the time, there was no conversation to be made. There was only her and the subtle flutter of a candle next to her as she let herself tune out from the world and enjoy the serenity of the moment.

She exhaled deeply, feeling the weight of her eyelids, and straightened her posture. _I suppose I should start turning in for the night_ , she thought as she let her eyes wander around the room and checking that everything was cleaned and put back in place. _I think it’s all as it should._ Her brows furrowed slightly as she thought, but shrugged as nothing surfaced and made her way out of the room, the soft glow of the candle lighting her way. Shadows bounced around the walls before being driven away by the fluttering flame as she travelled down the twists and turns of the hallways.

A quiet hum escaped her once more, making the soft melody echo around her only to stop as she reached the door of the sick room. Solara stopped, her hand on the handle, feeling her brow twitch slightly as she felt a weight in her chest. _There is no reason for me to knock. He’s in a coma, so he won’t reply._ She sighed. _But it also feels wrong to just enter without a knock. Well, as long as I’m alone, nobody will know about me knocking the door of an unconscious person._ So, she gave the door a small knock before entering. The sound of wood moving against stone and metal pierced through the air, the sound seeming more prominent now that everything else was quiet. Every single one of them. Every sound, every word, every action, they were heightened by the frozen time. It was just the two of them. Even if she would have to do all the talking. _Talking? Well, I do believe Selena when she said that coma patients can hear sounds around them… Though the question of being able to remember them after waking up is entirely different._ She thought before closing the door.

“Good evening,” she greeted, letting the words flow from her, gentle as a spring stream. A smile rose to her lips as warmth cascaded over her entire complexion. “I thought that I should check up on you, though I can’t do a lot,” she made conversation as she placed the candle on the nightstand next to the bed moved a chair a bit closer. “But I hear that the doctor… um.. what was his name again?” She hummed while trying to recall the name, feeling slight frustration as names sadly weren’t her strong suit. “Owen…? I believe it was Owen. But in any case, he’s coming tomorrow to check up on you. I hope that you’re doing better.” Silence fell between them as she thought, wondering if she should say what she wanted to say. “And... I, um,” she swallowed as her gaze fell to the side for a moment. “I would very much like to meet you, so that you’re awake, I mean. So, I do hope that you’ll wake up soon. … That sounds a bit selfish, doesn’t it?” She let out a nervous chuckle, taking a deep breath right after. “But I do hope that you’re still in there, and slowly, but surely, making your way back. … Your family and friends, your squad mates, they’re all worried about you. And I can tell that they miss you a lot, Leo especially. So, I hope that you don’t mind me reading to the both of you in the future,” she laughed, the corners of her mouth remaining upwards. “But no story tonight, after all, we couldn’t have Leo missing out, now could we? Though you already know the story, so suppose you don’t mind.” Silence fell back into the room as she sat there, quietly, just watching his tranquil state. _And even if you did mind, you wouldn’t be able to say…_ Her expression fell at the thought, bringing the veil of melancholy over her complexion again. “But I trust that you don’t. Or, the very least, that I’d be told by your near and dear if you did.”

 _Near and dear…_ she again felt the tug of the strings around her heart, wanting to feel included. Wanting to just give in to the burning wish just laying her emotions bare, but instead turning her head away in retaliation. _Stop it. You’re just being selfish. Yes. That’s what this is. Selfish, unreasonable and illogical. Well, those are all human characteristics and we all have those moments, but That is not The Point! The point is that you can’t. Alright? … Just take a deep breath, wish him good night, and be on your merry way. It’s nothing more than a crush. It’s nothing more than a crush._ She stood up and moved the chair away, the echo of her steps being the only sound in the room until she stopped to take the candle. She felt a small kiss of frost from the cold that radiated through the window as her hand drew closer, guiding her gaze outside. _It’s going to be a cold night, or relatively cold at least…_ She turned her head to Fuego and to his blanket that was pulled only up to his elbows, a slight frown raising to her complexion. _I know that you’re a fire mage, but… I- I don’t want you to catch a cold,_ she sighed and grabbed the edge of the blanket. It was thin, but on most nights would have served the occasion. She pulled the soft fabric further over him, slouching a bit over him. Her fingers brushed against him, making warm shivers course through her body as she felt blush rising to her cheeks. And by the time, she had pulled the blanket to his collarbones, she could feel her hands trembling slightly. _Calm down…_ she thought to herself as the smell of lavender flew to her through the air as she hovered over his torso, her head much closer to his than ever before. She swallowed as she straightened her posture and closed her eyes.

 _This should suffice,_ she thought as turned to collect the candle from the table, focusing on containing her beating heart. _Calm down. It’s nothing. This’ll pass. It’s just a… temporary state of insanity caused by … a very intense crush._ Her eyelids fell for a moment as she inhaled, allowing herself one final glimpse of him for the day. “Good night,” she whispered with a gentle smile that contested the first soft rays of morning light before turning to leave. The golden strings keeping hold of them, imploring her to turn back around, but with the promise of coming back to read for him, the promise of return, dispelled the violent twisting and clenching that it had been before. Only the silent whisper, asking her stay nearby and visit once more, lingered in the air. And though Solara didn’t notice it, she wore a bright smile all the way back to her room, where it only faded once she was in deep sleep.


	5. Denial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solara meets again with her fellow squad members as they return from their mission, only to have Mereo tell her that they should have a discussion. After which Solara gets in contact with her sister that she felt pass by as she arrived to Clover Kingdom.  
> Later, Solara has a talk with Leo, during which she tells about her homeland...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm finally spilling little details of Thea, but only a little ;) And as before do note that text in [brackets] is supposed to be written in Thean, which most canon characters couldn't understand.

Morning dawned like any other, and she could already tell that the rest of the squad had already returned from the faint mana that now circled around the base. It was so strange how such faint flutter most often went unnoticed, but as soon as it was gone, its absence was more than clear. Like with many trivial things that brought comfort and reassurance, they were only appreciated once they were gone. But after returning, brought a bright smile to your face, and it was precisely an expression as such that Solara wore to breakfast that morning.

She was the first to arrive, though others soon followed, clearly trying to keep themselves from yawning. _It seems that they barely got any sleep._ An empathetic smile rose to her lips with the thought. _Hopefully tonight they get a full night’s rest._ She smiled and wished them good morning as they arrived one by one, receiving such wishes in return. Her eyes landed on Mereo who didn’t seem affected by a short sleep. But then again, she knew that Mereo had been spent many nights in the wilderness and had thus gotten accustomed to it.

“Morning,” she greeted with a smile, making the corners of Mereo’s lips tug up into a smirk. “Morning. I see that you kept the base standing,” she joked while taking her seat. “What else could I have done? After all I know that you would have hunted me down if I didn’t,” Solara chuckled, raising an eyebrow at her while a grin took place on her complexion. “You’re damn right, I would,” Mereo smirked back while a shadow of softness washed over her, but quickly settled back into a stern expression. “Did everything go as planned?” Solara asked before taking a bite of her food, a question to which Mereo only nodded before turning the conversation into another direction. “There’s something I need to discuss with you, after breakfast.” She turned to Solara, her tone not telling of worry or anger, but instead rolling from her more of a statement than anything else. “Of course,” Solara replied, getting a slight sinking feeling as she wasn’t quite sure what to make of the statement. Mereo was never one to sugar coat things, and given that whatever it was to be discussed, could wait, there was nothing to be concerned about. Right? But the very fact that there was a discussion to be had, made Solara worry.

“Morning,” said a voice next to her, making her turn her head. “Oh, good morning Randal,” she greeted: “How was training?” Randal took his seat, holding back a yawn before replying. “Vigorous and educational,” he smiled. Mereo gave him a look and scoffed, but didn’t say anything to the matter. “How was work?” he asked in return, giving her a reassuring glance. “Well,” she began, her gaze falling slightly to the side. “I do need to admit that I struggled a bit with revising the latest mission reports as I’m not familiar with the once that preceded these, I couldn’t really tell if there was a need for further investigation or not in some cases…” She sighed. “But I managed to go through the expense assessments for the next couple of months.” Randal blinked at her statement, looking at her in confusion. “You managed to get through all of that…?” His voice was full of disbelief, making Solara frown slightly, but her expression soon softened back to what it had been. “Well, numbers are the same in all languages and since I had assessments from previous months and years at my disposal and easy to find, it was fairly straightforward. And though I did admit that my lingo might not be quite where it needs to be, that dictionary I found from the former Captain Vermillion’s bookcase has proven to be my salvation. Thus, I’ve been able to at least sort the reports into different categories. One I’m fairly confident in ruling as ‘closed ’ or not in need of further investigation, but I would still like to ask you to check up on them. One that I can’t rule either way. And one that in my personal opinion needs further actions.” Solara finished her sentence, looking Randal in the eye, who was still staring at her, dumbfounded.

Silence fell between them as Solara waited for Randal to say something, but what happened next took Solara by surprise. A few tears rolled down Randal’s cheeks as he took Solara’s hand and sobbed out: “thank you” repeatedly, his gaze falling as he hunched over her hand. Solara’s eyes widened and her body grew stiff, as she was uncertain of what she had said. The room became otherwise silent, only the quiet sobs filling the air as Solara carefully gazed to Mereo with a slightly terrified expression. But Mereo just stared at Randal with a raised eyebrow, not batting an eye. “You’re welcome…” Solara stated hesitantly while turning back to Randal, who gradually straightened back up, wiping the corners of his eyes. “Your help means the world to me…” he sobbed out, making Solara realize just how much pressure he had been under during the last couple of months. All of which was now pouring out. Solara’s confusion turned into a comforting smile as she gave his hand a single squeeze, while replying: “Any time.” The words flowing from her gently, reassuring him that it’d all work out eventually. He nodded to her and they both turned back to breakfast, Solara’s gaze meeting Leo’s on the opposite side of the table.

“Good morning,” she greeted, moving on to other things. The young lion blinked, processing that which had happened before returning to his usual cheery self. “Good morning Solara aneue!” he laughed out, making Mereo give him a glance. “You calling her ‘aneue’ now?” She asked, surprise clear from her tone. “Yes! She gave me permission,” Leo explained before sitting down and turning back to Solara. “So, can we continue the story today? I want to know what happens next,” he asked, unable to stay still in his seat. “Of course, as long as we make sure that you get proper sleep tonight,” Solara chuckled, furrowing her brows slightly. Leo’s answer was in the happy smile that rose to his complexion, while Mereo only scoffed, but Solara saw the faint smile that tugged her lips, nearly concealed by the action before they all turned their attention to breakfast.

\---

“So, what’s going on?” Solara asked as they stood in the captain’s office, trying to read Mereo’s expression. “There’s been a need to assemble a squad to take care of the terrorists, and I’ve been assigned as the captain of that squad. So, as I stated before, I can’t be looking after the cubs,” she stated, her tone grave, but calm. “And you’ll still need me looking after the boys?” Solara confirmed with a nod. “Yes. There’s going to be an evaluation to determine who’ll qualify for my squad, and a couple of the squad members will be taking part in the evaluation. I don’t expect all of them to make the cut. Actually, given their performance this year, I’m surprised if any of them make the cut,” Mereo shrugged. “You’re being a bit harsh,” Solara smiled with a slightly apologetic expression, to which Mereo only scoffed.

“I’m just letting you know that some of them will be out of your hair for at least a day,” Mereo stated nonchalantly, while crossing her arms. Solara only nodded in reply, not knowing what to say, and instead opting to move on with the conversation. “So, you’ll be having your hands full with the new squad?” Solara asked, hoping to bridge the conversation forward. Mereo gave her a slight nod. “We’ll be serving in the frontlines of the upcoming battles, which is the only place I want to be in,” she said, gritting her teeth and clenching her fist, speaking of her will for retribution. Solara tilted her head, giving Mereo an empathetic smile and placing her hand onto Mereo’s shoulder.

“My only regret is that I cannot be there with you,” Solara said, her statement rolling out a combination of reassurance, certainty and apology as she wasn’t about to tell her friend not to go, knowing what nothing could talk her out of it. A small smile rose to Mereo’s lips as she closed her eyes for a moment before placing her hand onto Solara’s shoulder in return. “That is not a regret you should have,” she smiled as their gazed met. Mereo knew what she meant, and appreciated the sentiment, but that wasn’t what she needed from her friend. And Solara knew that Mereo didn’t need her standing by her side on the battlefield, this time at least. What she needed from Solara, was to give her peace of mind and help take care of her other duties. She needed to trust that while she was off making sure justice for her brother would be served, that the said brother would be safe. That the squad that was dear to her, was safe.

They agreed to meet later for drinks, as Mereo pointed out how they hadn’t gone out properly before befriending each other. Though Solara needed to request for the ‘later’ to be during the following day as she had already promised Leo to read to him. Mereo raised an eyebrow at that, questioning what this whole reading thing was about. Leo could read after all. Solara explained the events leading up to the newly formed habit, to which Mereo scoffed, despite a barely existent smile rising to her lips. “Sure,” she only said, agreeing to Solara’s request before heading out. But as she was about to exit, she turned to look back and spoke with a hushed tone. “You’re really looking out for my brothers.” Solara smiled to her on her way to the writing desk. “Of course, I like them.” Her statement true and genuine.

“Really?” Mereo chuckled while turning back around. “Even the mister-no-laughs who’s enjoying his beauty sleep,” she joked and crossed her arms, flashing a smirk to Solara’s direction. “Well…” she began, her gaze falling to the side for a moment. “Everybody speaks so kindly of him, and he’s made my work so much easier by having a proper system… So, I do think that he must be a wonderful person.” Her gaze lifted back to Mereo’s along with her statement, but was faced with a raised eyebrow and a wide grin. “Oh?” Mereo uttered while making her way back into the room and to Solara. “Could it be that you’re crushing for my dunce of a brother,” she poked Solara to her side. “What?” Solara exclaimed, trying to avoid the teasing, sharp hits with very little luck. “That is absurd. How could I have a crush on someone I haven’t properly even met yet?” Her question was the very one she was asking herself as she tried to desperately convince herself otherwise.

Mereo gave Solara another knowing smirk while retracting her hand. “Do I need to start keeping my eye on you?” She joked, but made Solara blush slightly. “No… But if you feel the need to do so…” she paused, her brows furrowing as the redness over her complexion grew stronger. “I won’t stop you,” she finally breathed out, looking Mereo in the eye as she tried to battle her racing heart. But her statement made a laugh erupt from Mereo. “You know, you take some things way too seriously,” she chuckled waving off on her way out. Solara stayed standing, following Mereo with her gaze in confusion. “But that’s why I think the two of you would get along just fine,” Mereo remarked, glancing over her shoulder with a smile before stepping out of the room and closing the door behind her.

 _He- he would- We would get along well? No. She said ‘just fine’, that’s different from ‘well’. But coming from Mereo… What am I even thinking? Actually, I know perfectly well what I’m thinking of, but it’s absurd. So, …. So, I should just… But feelings don’t work like that._ Solara sighed and rubbed her temples while circling around the desk. _Just stop._ She told herself, quite sternly, and yet her heart did not waver. Nothing changed. Still, the scent of lavender embraced her as she sat down by the table, and yet again she rendered herself to it so freely.

 _Maybe I should talk to Selena and get my mind off of this…?_ She thought as she reached to her pocket. The metal surface of the device was warm as it had been tucked into the depths of her pocket, and upon opening it, there was already a message.

 _Really. You have great timing._ She half laughed; half scoffed to herself. _Or then it’s just because we’re twins, though I don’t think that fully explains the convenient timings that seems to be far too frequent._ She let her thoughts wander before reading the message that had been sent only a few minutes before:

 _[_ _“What’s up?”_ _]_ The message read, making Solara chuckle under her breath. _That really doesn’t sound like something you’d say._ She thought, amused.

 _[_ _“The sky.”_ _]_ Solara replied, but had not time to set down the said piece of equipment as another message was already visible to her.

 _[_ _“Haha. Very funny. But really, what’s going on with you?”_ _]_

 _[_ _“Actually, I’ve found myself stationed in a country called ‘Clover Kingdom’. You wouldn’t happen to have heard about it? By any chance…”_ _]_

 _[_ _“Stationed sounds like you’re either been sent by mom or the Queen, or then you’re tangled with the magic knights”_ _]_

 _[_ _“So you do know something. Perhaps because you’re here too…?”_ _]_

 _[_ _“…. When did I give myself away?”_ _]_

 _[_ _“The day I arrived. I felt your mana. Like I could mistake yours for anyone else’s”_ _]_

 _[_ _“Same here.”_ _]_

 _[_ _“There’s actually something I’ve been meaning to ask you”_ _]_

 _[_ _“Hm?_ _]_

 _[_ _“Well, I was wondering… I recall you mentioning something about coma patients being aware of their surroundings, so I thought that would you be able to say how long does it take for such a patient to wake up?”_ _]_

 _[_ _“….Why would I? I mean, I’m not a medical expert. And even if I was, I’d probably say that it varies. Why do you ask?”_ _]_

 _[_ _“No reason”_ _]_

 _[_ _“Solara…”_ _]_

 _[_ _“Okay, well, you know the captain of the Crimson Lion Kings is in a coma and I thought that maybe I could do something, or at least tell his family something”_ _]_

 _[_ _“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that you’re smitten. Since you know perfectly well that I’m no medic and yet you ask such a thing from me based on a conversation from gods know when. It just seems like you’re grasping on straws, which isn’t like you”_ _]_

 _[_ _“And your first reaction is to say that I’m smitten? I’m just concerned that is all”_ _]_

 _[_ _“I would have believed that if you had just explained your worry before stating ‘no reason’. So, I stand behind my statement. You smitten”_ _]_

 _[_ _“….”_ _]_

 _[_ _“You can keep denying it, but I know better muahahaa”]_

 _[_ _“Sure”_ _]_ Solara scoffed with a smile and put down the device, trying to turn her attention back to the papers scattered on her desk. Succeeding only for short intervals at a time, as Selena’s words tumbled in her mind.

\---

Evening had turned into a night as Solara closed the book she had been reading to Leo, having ended the next chapter of the story. And despite yawning just a moment ago, Leo was asking her to read one more chapter, which made Solara give him an apologetic smile. “Leo… you need to rest. You had a long day yesterday and the day before, so reading another chapter would be detrimental.” She tilted her head, watching his form slouch forward. A silence fell into the room, Solara having hard time reading him as his gaze fell to the side.

“Leo? What are you thinking?” She asked as gently as she possibly could while leaning a bit closer to him, the action seemingly unnecessary as there was Fuegoleon’s sick bed between them. “Aniue used to scold me for staying up too late as well,” he spoke with a hushed tone, his eyes looking to his brother. Solara could feel her heart clenching in agony, but forced the warm smile to stay on her lips. “Only because he cares about you,” she stated, to which Leo only replied with a nod. His expression was blank and he stared ahead of him, mind either running wild or standing perfectly still. Solara wasn’t quite sure what to make of it, as she wondered if she should talk to him, or let him process whatever it was that he was thinking.

“Solara aneue?” He finally asked, after silence had lingered between them for a moment. “Yes?” Her tone stayed gentle, as she hoped that he would speak to her. He was battling with grief and worry, and if there was a chance that she might ease his state of being, she would gladly take it. “You said that there used to be another family working closely with the queen of… Th- Te-… um…” “Thea,” she filled in his sentence, making him glance at her. “Yeah, so what happened to them?” His question wasn’t full of worry, nor was it filled with excited intrigue, but something in-between. Perhaps his worry seeped into the question or perhaps he was trying to distract himself, Solara couldn’t tell either way. _Poor boy… I wish that I could do more for him, but suppose that all I can do now is give him something else to think about. I’m sure that he’s processing this already a lot, and he just needs a breather._ “Nothing specifically. My father was of the House of Eclipse, but instead became of part of the House of Equinox through marriage.” She explained factually while crossing her legs and leaning back in her chair.

“Didn’t he have any brothers or sisters?” Leo asked with a slight frown. “He did,” Solara began, her gaze falling to the ground for a moment. “He had a brother, who died,” her tone calm and collected, quieter than it had been a moment ago. “How?” Leo’s question wasn’t out of place, but it seemed loose. As if it was hanging in the air, his mind trying to weave idea together. Or perhaps it was just Solara’s imagination. “He died while trying to fulfil his duty. We don’t precisely know how, as no body was ever recovered. But,” she sighed. “That was a long time ago. Even before I can remember, so it’s fairly safe to assume that he’s deceased.” Silence fell between them for a moment, before Solara sighed.

“But that is rather grim topic, don’t you think?” She gave him a smile, which he replied, although with a much weaker one of his own. “Is there a lot of nobles in Thea?” He asked, the topic siding with the previous one, but it was to be expected. “No. There’s only eight Houses. I’m excluding the Royal House of Anima, as they’re _Royal_ and not ‘just’ noble,” she gave him an awkward smile, but her statement seemed to pique his interest, making his worry subside for the moment. “Oh! What kind of magic they have? Do any of them have fire magic?” His questions flowing from him freely, as if floodgates had been opened. “Well,” she began, thinking where and how to start. “I suppose that the closest one would get with fire magic, that’d be mine and my father’s. So, no fire mages per se. And some of the families don’t have a distinct magic type, since not all who marry share similar magic. The House of Machina being perhaps the strictest of who’d get to marry into their family…” she thought out loud, voicing an opinion that she hadn’t been conscious before, as she hadn’t spent a lot of time pondering about marrying into any of the families.

“What kind of magic do they have?!” he exclaimed, hanging on the edge of his seat. “Shh,” Solara shushed. “It’s already quite late Leo,” Solara reminded him, making him mumble out an apology. “But to answer your question: they don’t.” She simply stated, making Leo frown. “They don’t what?” He asked, uncertain of what she meant. “They don’t have magic.” Leo could only blink in confusion at her statement. “They… don’t have magic?” He repeated, his brows furrowing violently while Solara nodded as a reply. “Thean culture doesn’t revolve around magic, solely. As around 60 % of our inhabitants don’t have any magic, we’ve had to evolve around the fact and spend some of our resources to develop technology alongside with magical inventions.” Leo stayed silent while she explained, hanging onto her every word. “Suppose I could compare it to the development of your magical items,” she continued. “As you’re trying to advance your magical inventions, Theans are trying to do so with purely non-magical pieces of equipment as well. Along with inventions that utilize both fields equally.” Her tone made no mistake of the pride she felt for her people and their accomplishments; her statement standing steady with its head held high.

“Wow! That’s so cool!” Leo exclaimed, making Solara’s brow furrow slightly once more as she raised her index finger over her lips. The young lion’s enthusiasm not settling down as a result, but instead made him wonder. “How did Theans lose magic?” He asked, making the frown Solara was wearing turn into that of confusion. “Lose their magic?” She repeated, her tone hushed and full of ponder. “Ah,” she breathed as she understood the question. “I think they’ve always been like that. Those that can’t use magic. Or so I believe,” she thought out loud. “It’s just how they are and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Though, I suppose that since us mayus are the minority in Thea, I should say that being a mayu isn’t a cause of shame.” She chuckled and tilted her head, but Leo frowned in a confusion of his own. “What’s a mayu?” He asked, making an apology rise over Solara’s eyes. “Oh, ‘mayu’ is a Thean word for someone who can use magic. And those that use technology are teyus. Though a teyu can use items with magical properties, given that having to feed the device with one’s own magic isn’t a prerequisite. Just as a mayu can use technological devices, though occasionally one’s own mana can interfere with the functions of the device and cause it to malfunction.” Her explanation was followed by a sigh. “Sometimes I feel as if those devices hate me, despite being non-sentient,” she chuckled. “But it just goes to show that neither is above the other.” She finished her explanation with a smile and thought to be able to see the gears turning in Leo’s head.

Silence fell into the room, which served as a cue to retire for the night. So, Solara got up from her chair, holding the book in one hand as she moved the chair back against the wall with the other. “We should go to sleep. It’s getting late,” she stated while gazing outside into the dark night. “But I want to hear more about Thea,” Leo yawned with his eyelids drooping. “And you can, but later. Now sleep is more important,” Solara smiled, warmth cascading from her as a comforting blanket over the sweet lion cub. “But-“ Leo tried, Solara raising her hand to stop him. “Leo…” his name rolled from her lips with a slightly disappointed tone, making his eyes fall to the side. “Okay,” he said as he got up, moving his own chair away from the bed as he let out another yawn. Meanwhile Solara blew out the candle and summoned forth her mana skin, making soft radiance cascade over the room once more.

“Good night aniue,” Leo wished while passing Fuegoleon’s bed and made his way out of the door, Solara following right behind him. The corners of her lips tugged at the gesture, and she couldn’t help but feel her heart melting. _He’s being such a caring brother…_ she thought as they stepped into the still lit corridor. “Good night aneue!” Leo wished, his tone much more cheerful than a moment ago, which made Solara’s heart clench with happiness. “Good night Leo,” she wished back as she lowered down her mana skin, letting the only light that cascaded into the sick room be that of the candles in the hallway. Her head turned with the light and a veil of sadness draped over her eyes. _You really should wake up sooner, rather than later._ A gentle smile rose to her lips, despite the prevailing shadow of sadness. _You’re missed, you know?_ Words that she didn’t dare utter out loud, not while another soul was within hearing distance. But for what purpose? She wasn’t ready to admit anything, not to herself or anyone else for that matter. And yet, as she was closing the door, she spoke. “Good night”, the whisper fluttered into the room with wings made of glass, fragile like the first sheet of ice on an early winter’s night.

She didn’t know if the words reached them, or if those fragile wings broke well before, but she didn’t dare wish again, and instead followed through with the motion. The door closing with a silent thump, now heightened by the prevailing silence. She stayed in place, her hand still resting on the handle as she wanted to stay for a moment longer. Her legs frozen in place without his warmth; her head hanging lower. Again, there was a tug of her heartstrings, asking her, imploring her, to stay. _I’m not going far… For heaven’s sake… what am I thinking? I still have no right, no reason._ She sighed as her head turned away from the door, tearing the rest of her with it and making her body ache. _Concentrate on your work. That’ll help get over… whatever this is…_ She thought, trying to convince herself of something that her heart knew to be nothing but denial.


	6. Kiss of Embers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Routine starts to formulate into Solara's life while grand decisions and events take place around her. And eventually, she needs to make decisions of her own, while her train of thought is on anything but a straight track.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit longer chapter this time. I could probably have made this chapter into 2 smaller ones, but this is what I ended up with. Hope that you enjoy, and thank you for reading

Routine. One of the things that formulate with one hardly noticing it. And that’s precisely what became of Solara’s responsibilities at the Crimson Lion Kings’ headquarters. A routine. She learned little by little to navigate through the customs and practises, until she no longer needed to run by Randal’s office to ask trivial questions. Though he never complained, instead always insisted that he was grateful for any help that he got. Solara still feeling slightly inadequate as she couldn’t just go through the work, but the infuriating frustration slowly dissipated; the gritting of teeth diminished, day by day.

Mereo was kept busy with her additional newly found duties and an upcoming selection tournament of some kind, which was all to decide those who’d qualify for a new squad and defend all of Clover Kingdom against a terrorist group. Many of the squad members were training even harder to prepare themselves, feat that made them all grow, day by day.

The morning of the examination the air was tense, but filled with hopeful excitement. Solara let her eyes travel over each of those she knew to participate in the tournament, her lips fixed into a smile. _They’ve all worked so hard._ She thought, but then her eyes landed on Leo. The fact that she noticed his expression only now, made her heart sink as he was seated on the opposite side of the table from her, and so she should’ve seen it sooner. She should’ve seen the frown, the hunched posture, and the worry that radiated from him.

“Leo?” Solara asked over the table, making his eyes turn to her from his plate. The smile that rose to his lips seemed crafted, one that was meant to convince both her and himself of everything being alright. But as before, she didn’t dare hurt the young lion’s pride and announce that she saw through him. “I’m sure you’ll do wonderfully,” she said with a smile instead, making the corners of Leo’s lips tug up in relief.

“Thank you aneue!” His posture straightened and the smile he now wore was washed of the weight that it had previously carried. But still, there was a veil of worry in his eyes; unspoken hesitance that would be best to address, later. So, for now, Solara settled for a smile and instead turned her attention back to the conversation taking place at the table.

 _They’re all nervous. I can tell. Leo is just taking it harder than the others. But then again, he has big boots to fill. So, I can’t really blame him for that. Not that I would, even if I could. He just reminds me of Rory so much… I need to wish him good luck still before he leaves._ She thought to herself, making a mental note, even if it would take place shorty after breakfast. But she didn’t want to miss the departure in any case. So, it was already as they were walking down a corridor, away from the dining hall that she approached Leo.

“Are you feeling nervous?” Solara asked, despite being able to tell already. But still she tilted her head with a smile, hoping to have been speaking quietly enough to keep the others from hearing. Though she knew that they wouldn’t blame Leo either for feeling a little anxious. But Solara knew better than to hurt the pride of a lion.

Leo’s eyes shifted slightly around as they walked, until he rubbed the back of his head and admitted: “yeah… a little bit…”. He spoke under his breath, or as much so as he could for someone with strong lungs. His head hung low as he stared to the depths of the floor.

“It means that you care,” she began, making Leo’s eyes turn to her. “The fact that you are nervous mean that you care about the outcome of the tournament. And I believe it’s a feeling that you share with all of your participating squad members, even if it might seem hard to believe at first.” Solara let out a small chuckle, her lips settling into a smile. “And I’m certain, that you’ll do wonderfully.” She paused, but continued: “But still, I want to wish you the best of luck in your endeavour.” She turned her head to look at Leo, who now bore a slightly melancholic expression.

“You mean that you’re not coming to watch?” Leo asked, disappointment lacing his tone, which only made Solara realize that he must’ve expected her to come and watch the tournament. And she couldn’t help but feel her heart clenching at the sight of the young lion, who’s entire family was caught up in matters that had do with everything else but family.

But, despite her feelings, she had a duty to serve. “I’m sorry Leo, but I have work that I need to complete…” she said, sorrow oozing between the syllables as she wanted to comfort the poor boy. Unsure of what to do, she stopped and turned to him, tilting her head as the smile fell from her lips.

“It’s okay,” Leo stated, following her action and turning to face her. “We all need to do our part, right?” His question was asked with his characteristically upbeat tone, which was meant to ease Solara’s guilt. But only made it worse.

 _He’s trying to be brave. He is brave. And all he wants to do is help_ , she thought as she brought a smile back over her lips. _He doesn’t want me worrying over his disappointment, but I do hope that I could do more than this._

“Indeed, we do,” she agreed. “So, as said, I’d like to wish you the best of luck,” she paused and smirked. “Not that you’ll need it.” Her statement making the corners of Leo’s lips tug further up before he burst into a laugh. The sadness seemingly fading away, but it must have stayed lingering somewhere beneath the surface. Perhaps he was aware of it, perhaps he was not, wanting to press it deep, deep down and convince himself that he wasn’t bothered by it. After all, he had surely told himself that he needed to be strong, despite everything. And with that, they bid each other goodbye for the day, but still, guilt gnawed at Solara.

Once by her desk, or better said, by the captain’s desk, she found herself to be tapping on the wooden surface with the index finger of her left hand, as her right was hard at work. Her already fluttering concentration breaking as she sighed and put down her pen; eyes landing onto the pile of documents on the left side of the desk. _We’re still so far behind with work… Yes, we’ve been catching up fast now that this has become more or less of a routine for me too, but…_ She closed her eyes and lifted her hand against her temple, loosely resting her head against it as she stared blankly ahead of her. _What if I just take care of the most urgent files? Most of this has been sitting here, untouched, for weeks. What’s one more day?_ Guilt and sense of responsibility battled in her chest, twisting and turning, coming to a halt, with a sigh. _To the hell with it. If Randal wants to scold me for taking the rest of the day off, he can sure try. I’ll do only the absolutely necessary work for now, and go see the tournament._ Having made up her mind, she sorted out piles again to reflect her newfound decision and resumed her work.

\---

Hours later Solara made her way through the corridors around the training grounds with hasted steps, hoping to make it on time. Traces of mana swirling in the distance, and some closer by, standing still. At the end of the hall was a staircase that would take her to the observation platform according to the guards who had given her directions. The prominent pools of mana suggesting that she was indeed headed to the right direction as the Wizard King himself was said to observe the tournament. And though she had not yet had the privilege to meet the said man, her mind wasn’t focused on the meeting. But instead, it was on a straight track to make her way quickly forward, to hurry, but not run. A sense of ridiculous noble need to upkeep a sense of respectability, despite knowing that running wasn’t something that would make her loose her face. And yet, the years worth of being told not to run in the hall, stuck with her, making her unwilling to run.

But still her pace, and hurry, made her nearly collide with a figure that appeared behind a sharp turn. “Oh, my apologies,” she stated, shifting to the side on the last minute and only then seeing with whom she nearly collided with. It was Leo, who looked at her with a bleak expression, blinking as if deep in thought.

“Oh! Solara aneue!” he exclaimed after a pause. A smile appeared on his face, but was washed away as quickly as it had emerged as a frown took its place. His eyes fell to the side and a veil of sorrow and frustrated shame emerging instead.

“How did it go?” she needed to ask, despite knowing the answer based on his expression. And so, she placed her hand onto his shoulder, hoping that the action would bring a sense of comfort to him.

He stayed silent for a while, clenching his fist and biting his molars together before replying: “We didn’t even make it to the semi-finals…” He forced the admission out of him, and then turned to look at her as his disappointment weighed him down like a suffocating blanket. Feeling that he had failed her, his family and himself, when in reality he had done none of those things.

“I’m sure that you did wonderfully,” she said, Leo’s head turning to her swiftly, as if to argue, but Solara raised her other hand and stopped him. “You may have only gotten this far today, but you did the best you could and that is all anyone can ask of you. At this time ‘wonderful’ will get you here, but someday it’ll get you further,” she smiled as she retracted her hand and straightened her back.

“But I wasn’t quick enough to destroy the crystal and Finral got severely injured because of it and-“ Solara raised her hand again.

“You tried your best. Or do you mean to say that you didn’t?” she asked, insisting her point.

“No…” he admitted, his gaze averting from hers. “But it wasn’t enough,” he continued, gritting his teeth.

“Someday it will,” she said and paused. “Leo, I understand that you feel disappointed. I would too,” she admitted with a soft tone as his eyes found their way back to her. “But you can’t feel, correction, you shouldn’t feel bad for doing your very best. It’s terrible that your team mate got injured, it really is, and it’s never a proud moment; to not be able to protect your own… But we,” she paused, wanting to sigh, but instead just swallowed. “The reality is that you can’t always save everybody. That should be the goal, but… not always reality.” She saw Leo’s eyes falling to the side, his clenched fist relaxed, but his posture remained slouched. “As you said, we all have to do our part, and sometimes it’s enough, and sometimes it isn’t. But as long as you have done everything in your power for the betterment of the situation, you shouldn’t beat yourself up for it. Instead, learn from it. Let it drive you forward, because that’s the only way to improve. We can’t change the past, but we can learn from it to affect the future.” Her tone had grown to be a jumble of melancholy and graveness before she stopped, for which she scolded herself.

 _He doesn’t need you lecturing to him at the moment. You’re supposed to comfort him, not scold him, and that’s what this is becoming._ She finally let out the sigh that had been building up inside of her.

“I’m sorry Leo,” she said with a hushed tone. “You don’t need me lecturing to you,” she admitted. “But really. You shouldn’t scold yourself for not making it to the semi-finals. You did your best, and I’m proud of you because of it.” She gave Leo a weak smile, expecting him to give her a snarky comment despite her meaning every word.

Leo shook his head. “No aneue,” he said before turning back to her. “You’re right. I’m sure that aniue would say something like that too. If I want to become the next Wizard King, I can’t wallow in the past.” He smiled to her; it was a relatively weak smile, given the prominent one that was usually plastered over his face, but still, a smile.

Solara’s brows quirked up for a brief second before settling back down as she nodded. “But if you still feel the need to talk about it, we can. Now or later,” she smiled to him, feeling relieved.

“Thank you,” Leo chirped as his worry faded further, his posture straightening little by little.

“Don’t mention it,” she said with fondness as she really did care for the young lion. “But how about we go watch the rest of the tournament now?” She suggested, earning a nod from Leo before heading down the rest of the corridor and up the stairs.

Comfortable silence lingered between them as they ascended the stairs to a platform that overlooked the tournament area, the vast fields opening before them as a canvas, contrasting the relatively packed observation area. Solara letting her gaze wander free, her eyes landing on the fellow squad members to whom Leo immediately headed.

Solara followed slightly behind, trying to keep herself from staring at the two figures who seemed like royalty. _One of them has to be the Wizard King, but the other… It would make sense that a king would wear a crown, but they’re both in an ensemble that practically screams ‘authority figure’. Both have an abundance of mana, I’ll give them that, but they’re not alone in that._ She kept an ear open while making her way through the crowd, watching from the corner of her eye. _The crown head seems really full of himself, but the other seems level headed._ And as if he had heard her, the latter looked at her from the corner of his eye. The pair of purple eyes turning to her with subtlety that was easily left unnoticed, but soon shifted away from her.

Before the next match the crown head made his name, and identity, known with some self-gloat. While the other one’s was in the title and name with which he was addressed by others. _I see. So, the one who has noticed my presence is the Wizard King, Julius… Novachrono… Hmmm, suppose ‘your highness’ would be the correct way to address him. Or ‘King Novachrono’. I have to check up on that. But why though? Why have two kings? Would the separation of power seem less than beneficial, or is it simply to ease one’s workload? But even then, why have them both to bear the title of a ‘King’? ‘Tis a strange practise… But then again, who am I to judge. I’m sure that they’d find some of our practises strange._ She thought to herself, only to be woken from her thought as they announced for the next match to begin.

But then another peculiar sight caught her attention. A boy, of Leo’s age, who carried an aura of something demonic, but smiled as if he didn’t know. And Solara couldn’t help but let her head turn to him. _A demon? That boy carries… darkness much deeper than most would ever know. What on earth would have possessed them to render their body and soul to such a fate? I-_ she shook her head subtly and suppressed the urge to sigh while she turned away, not wanting to stare too much. _I just can’t understand it…_ She thought while manas started clashing together in the battlefield beneath.

\---

As the matches finished and she was taking her leave with the rest of the squad members, she was approached by the purple eyed individual. “Good afternoon,” he greeted with a gentle tone, making her turn around. He seemed more… informal than kings usually were, but the aura of openness that he radiated was more than fit for someone who ought to lead a country. But give how he had carried himself with his subordinates, he seemed, strangely, more casual than he did now.

“Afternoon, your highness,” she greeted with a nod and a shallow curtsey, making him let out a warm chuckle.

“Just Julius is fine,” he made a wave with his hand while flashing a smile her way. “I couldn’t help but notice you arriving,” he paused as if readying himself for something. And surely enough with that pause, his composure changed from the calm and collected to that of an epitome of enthusiasm. “You’re the Thean that Mereoleona mentioned right?! And you have solar magic? Could you show me?! Will you?!” The change in his composure making Solara feel taken aback.

“Well, as much as I wouldn’t prefer to be identified as ‘the Thean’, yes that is correct,” she managed to reply before another man with blue hair came yelling at Julius. Making Solara halt in her place and only observe the strange interaction.

“You have been observing magic for the entire day, and you have paperwork to complete!” He exclaimed without even trying to hide his displeasure towards his superior; the scolding continuing for a good while as Solara just observed, unable to keep herself from raising an eyebrow.

 _It’s more than evident that they’re close, but… is that really alright for a subordinate to scold a superior in such a way…Well, perhaps if there’s a need to keep one in check, but… Such a sight would never… Actually, yes, yes it would be seen in Thea._ She sighed internally. _But still, standing there, just rubbing the back of your head and laughing awkwardly… Hm. So, you know that you’re in the wrong? In that case, this isn’t out of place._ She stood still for a moment longer, before speaking out: “Perhaps this isn’t the best possible moment. I too, should return to my work, but maybe some other time.” She smiled to the both of them, but directed her statement to the Wizard King.

“Hm?” Julius uttered, turning back to Solara. “Ah, in that case it better to schedule another time,” Julius gave her a courteous smile as his presence settle back down to that of royalty.

“To another time then,” Solara agreed with a smile of her own, giving him another nod before turning her attention to the other man next to him. “Thank you for your efforts,” she stated, making him look surprised.

“Oh- it-, um-“ he mumbled as his cheeks became tinted with a hint of red before clearing his throat. “I’m just taking care of my responsibilities.” He stated, factually, while recomposing himself.

“In that case: thank you for taking care of your responsibilities…” Solara said while holding her hand in front of herself and spinning it around as if to motion him to give her something. She gave him an expecting look, staying silent as the brief of moment of silence fell between them.

“Marx,” he blinked. “It’s Marx. Francois. But simply ‘Marx’ will do,” he stated, clearing his throat again.

“Nice to meet you Marx.” She smiled, her hand falling to her side. “And nice to meet you, Julius,” she continued, turning her head to him in acknowledgement. “I take it that my name has already preceded me,” she continues with a subtle smile as her gaze shifts between the two.

“Unfortunately, only your given name,” Julius smiled as Marx simply shook his head.

“I see,” she paused with a smirk, knowing Mereo and how she didn’t deem such things to be of importance, while simultaneously feeling grateful to Mereo for letting Solara build her own reputation. “Lady Solara Equinox, the firstborn of the Noble House of Equinox and an heir to its titles,” she announced, straightening her posture and blinking slowly. “But, simply ‘Solara’ is fine,” she smirked as her eyes opened up to gaze at the men in front of her, who nodded to her.

They exchanged a few more pleasantries before parting ways. _Interesting. It seems to be more of a rule than exception that people in a position of authority are addressed by their given name, or then perhaps, it’s just among people of a certain rank. But then again, I am not of any rank here._ She smirked. _I think my time here will indeed be interesting._

\---

Weeks passed, Solara familiarizing herself with her work and letting a routine settle for herself. Mereo had been engulfed by her new position, and once the word came, commencing the counterattack against the terrorists that had been plaguing the country, Solara felt her heart twist in her chest. It was never pleasant to bid a friend off to war. It was never pleasant to bid anyone off to war. But the day had finally arrived, and it had been expected.

Solara placed her hand onto Mereo’s shoulder and gave her a weak smile. “Good luck,” she said, silence falling between them.

Mereo gave her a smile back, placing her hand on Solara’s shoulder in turn. “Remember what I told you?” She asked with a tone much quieter than what was characteristic for her.

“Keep the cubs in check?” Solara smiled, tilting her head.

Mereo nodded as a reply, before letting go. An action which Solara followed.

“They’re in good hands,” Mereo still stated, giving Solara a quick pat on the side of her arm before turning to leave.

 _“This isn’t a farewell” Is that what you want to tell me?_ Solara pondered with a smile before shaking her head. _Yeah, I’m not great with goodbyes either._ She thought while turning away herself. _So, you better make sure that you come back,_ she smirked at the thought while trying to bury the hint of fear that lurked around in the corners. The passing cold breeze that foretold death and all she could do was pray that it wasn’t the death of those close to her.

\---

The squad had been training in the courtyard a few days after Mereo had been shipped out; Solara being inside, completing her work once strange mana started flowing around. It started off as a faint trace, barely noticeable, but as glowing lights filled the sky that she saw from the office window, it was more than evident that something was wrong. How difficult it’d be to ward off anything that was about to rain down from the sky onto them was impossible to tell, but given the distance over which the spell seemed to stretch perhaps it’d be relatively easy. Or that’s what she told herself. _Those with moderate magical abilities are, probably, able to fend for themselves. Maybe… I hope, but I can… I could use ‘Solar flare’ to counter some of them…_ She thought as she raced through the corridors to as high ground as she needed to get to.

 _If I create a wide enough flare that hits those falling projectiles, I can make them change course…I hope. If they even are projectiles. But it needs impeccable timing. By the Gods, how I wish I’ll succeed._ She thought, but was too late. The sword composed of light that hung above her head closed the distance. She did not think, but her body reacted, casting her mana skin to protect herself. But there was no need. The blade stopped, hanging right above her hand, and for a second she stood still, just looking at it. _It stopped… Why i-… Please. Don’t tell me that it’s because…_ she could not bring herself to finish the thought and instead continued making her way forward.

The distance felt longer than she remembered. No matter how fast she was moving, it didn’t quite suffice. Her heart trying to break through her ribcage, more so out of the sheer terror of thoughts she did not want to bring to the surface than the physical effort. That pain she didn’t even notice. No. All she could do was fly. All she could do repeat a silent prayer in her mind over and over again: _please…_ And then she’d reach the door to the sickroom.

She burst through the door, nearly breaking it from its hinges. And the sight that laid before her, was a serene one. _Thank the gods…_ she thought while letting out a sigh of relief, her eyelids falling for a moment as she felt the tension of her worry melting away from her as a tidal wave. _Thank the gods…_ she thought while pausing to catch her breath. _You’re alright…_

\---

Solara paced around the room, biting her thumb. _I could use ‘Kiss of Embers’…But I don’t know if it’ll work. Well, technically I can ever be certain if it works, because all it does is kindle ideas, confidence, realizations that are already there. And I’ve never used it for a coma patient. It’s very different when a person is awake and aware, only needing to have the flames of hope and reassurance to be lit inside of them. But this? I mean, it could work… He’s trying to wa­­ke up after all…isn’t he? He’s still there, somewhere, right?_ She sighed, stopped and stared at the ceiling, searching for answers that weren’t written anywhere for her mortal eyes to see. _It might kindle him…awake… But for me to do that I’d need to break a seal… and then I’d be breaking the law. Though strictly speaking, unless I am seen breaking my seals, it’s not a direct violation. But in any case, I’d need to report it, and I’d still be risking classified knowledge about Thea…_ Her train of thought was stopped by a memory that was barely on the tip of her tongue. An image of blood spilling onto a marble floor flashed across her mind, a feeling of terror coursed through her, making her body tremble. Pieces of memories that she couldn’t distinguish from figments of her imagination twisting into a barely painted picture; a picture from which her mind still tried to shield her. She shook, but then the words of grandmother Idalia pierced through her memory, waking her from the flashing of images and allowing her to regain her composure: “ _Remember that you’re always free to choose, but you’re never free from the consequences of your choice_.” Her gaze fell back down and shifted to Fuegoleon. _It’s true. I’m not free from the consequences of my choice. None of us are._ She sighed and took a seat next to him, her posture slouching forward, closer to him, as she rested her elbows against her knees. _Couldn’t you just wake up?_ She gazed to his hand, resting by his side on the bed. The familiar tug urging her to take it as her heart cried, the pain of denying herself from his touch for all this time, tearing through her flesh and bone. Her shaking fingers inching closer to him, little by little as she finally gave in.

She held his hand in hers, the warmth of his body brining comfort to her as her thumb caressed the back of his hand. _Please?_ She implored without a sound as she felt grief rising to her eyes. She shook her head for one last time before giving in to the fact that she was hopelessly in love with him, even if she couldn’t for the life of her tell why. After all, she still didn’t know him, and yet she found herself shaking out of grief. _I want to._ She grit her teeth as a single tear streamed down her cheek. _I want to, but it’s not smart. I can’t just carelessly go casting spells that… But, would it honestly be that bad?_ Her jaw loosened with a realization, her lip beginning to quiver. _It wouldn’t be bad… if I left. I could try,_ she swallowed, _and then leave. That way it wouldn’t cause issues… It wouldn’t cause issues and evoke tragedy and danger to Thea. It wouldn’t because they wouldn’t know, and all I’d be was a stranger. Right? Well, not- not quite, but… But there’d be no issues…_ The realization sank a dagger between her ribs, twisting and turning until there was a crack which made her let out a whimper. Tears. Sweet and salty tears started streaming down her complexion as she pondered what she should do. And as she did, there was another strange gust of mana around the base.

Her gaze was directed to the window as there was an array of yells, followed by sounds of struggle. She placed his hand back onto the bed and looked outside, only to see an unfamiliar aura of mana surrounding Randal who was now fighting the rest of the squad. The void in her chest only growing larger as she didn’t have the slightest clue of what was taking place, and yet, she knew what the squad needed most. _They need to be lead… And Mereo is tied up with,_ she let out a chuckle that was filled with the tears that were drowning her. _With all of this, but on another front. And Randal is clearly not himself at the moment. Sure, I could take charge for a moment, but my hands are tied to a great extent and I-_ She whimpered as brought her hands to her neck, the tips of her fingers gracing her skin as she summoned forth her binds. Runes of glittering gold, yellow and red coursed over her as flaming rivers of sunlight, slowly swirling into a ribbon around her soft flesh. _I can’t afford to be selfish like this…_ Her fingers curled around the ribbon as she closed her eyes and concentrated on the bind with which she had confined herself. “[These binds cannot hold me, for they are my own]” She spoke tearing through the seal, waves of mana gushing from the cracks of the binding ribbon of runes before they completely gave out and a pulse of pure radiance erupted from her.

She opened her eyes, the previously hidden specks of gold amidst her forest green eyes were now bright and alive as ever. As if there had been hundreds of pulsating suns in her gaze, casting light and life around her, but now, pain flowed from the surface of those specks of gold. Her agony streamed down her cheeks as she clenched her jaw and summoned forth her grimoire. She flipped through the pages, wiping away the veil of grey that prevented her from seeing and taking a deep, shaky breath. _Concentrate. You need to leave as soon as you cast it after all. You need to leave if you want to help them._ She told herself, trying to push through the net of the ever-winding golden threads, hearing the sounds of struggle outside and knowing that she’d need to act fast.

“Kiss of Embers,” she spoke. Her gentle and yet forced tone flowed past her lips as a whisper before her lips met with his temple. The touch being faint and subtle, barely existent as she couldn’t bring herself to do more while knowing that she’d need to turn around and leave. A faint glowing mark lingered on the spot right above his left eyebrow for a moment, before waves of gold pulsated across his body. The waves being the last thing she saw before turning around and casting her mana skin to fly away. She needed to gather distance, just enough so that she’d have time to bind her magic once more. She needed to distance herself, but she didn’t want to. Instead, she felt like her heart was being torn to pieces, shredded to fine strips of flesh and her emotions being spilled as a trail as she flew forward. It felt wrong. It just felt so wrong. Unnatural. Agonizing and horrid. All she wanted to do, was turn around and welcome him from his sleep, but she couldn’t. And the binds she was about to tie around herself, were nothing compared to the pain of being unable to, un-allowed to, be there for him. For the first time in a long while, she felt weak.

But she couldn’t afford to be weak. Not now. Not while there was a battle. So, after taking distance, she stopped and tried to concentrate through her pain, but collapsed against a wall, biting down her molars. Not a conscious thought running through her, only the will to do many things, contradictions, and the knowledge of what she ought to do. But her turmoil was stopped as the entire building was engulfed in a sea of flaming mana, surrounding every brick and stone, making her pain cease as familiar warmth surrounded her. _It worked…_ The bittersweet thought brought her strength, calming the turbulence within her. So, she inhaled and steadied her hand. “[Confine yourself, for even a sun must sleep,]” she spoke as she started weaving the runes back around herself. Ribbons of radiant markings running across her body, settling over her, and casting a veil of shadow over her. And so, she was as she had been, the only mark of what had happened being the drying streams of tears glistening on her cheeks as the one thought that pierced through her pain was: _and now I need to leave…I need to leave…I need to-_

Her thoughts were cut short, as she willed it, giving herself a slap on her cheek. _No._ She straightened her posture, while closing her eyes. _Don’t. Not now. Don’t get stuck to that._ She took a deep breath. _You can deal with your own pain later. You can deal with the consequences later. But for now, they don’t know. They don’t know of my seals, and I can stay to deal with this. Even if it’s for a little while longer. For a brief, passing moment…_ She felt her posture starting to slouch forward once more as tears started rising back into her eyes, but caught herself, bringing herself back up and gazed into the ceiling; blinking and banishing her sorrows for a moment longer. _I’m here, and none saw me. So, I can stay to help for a moment longer. There is no threat to Thea. There is no threat. Other than the one knocking on their door._ She took another deep breath, pushing the shards of her heart deep down, all the way down, until they were pricking the bottoms of her feet instead of her lungs.

 _I’ve made my choice,_ she thought as she continued forward, her steps heavy and certain. _So, into the battle I go._ Her mana enveloped her once more, pulsating as it should be; her body tensing up as it prepared for the feat up ahead. _To do my part._


	7. Stiches and scars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solara regroups with the squad on the courtyard only to continue further into battle. But as pointed out by her twin sister Selena later on, they both still need to adhere to the laws they're under as Thean citizens.   
> The battle is followed by an encounter, one that she had been anticipating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!  
> Thank you for reading my scribbling, and I do hope that I'm living up to the expectations. I'll be honest and say that I had a lot of sun writing the end of this chapter, which is why I do hope that you'll like it as well.

_I have already spent too much time grimacing over my own emotions,_ she thought as she hurried down the corridors of the base, heading towards the courtyard after collecting herself for a moment. _But what was the glow that surrounded the base a while ago? I thought that it felt like his mana, but it couldn’t have been just his accumulated mana flowing out as a result of waking up, right? And there was… something else that felt faintly familiar. Mixing together with his mana… What was that?_

Sounds battle had echoed in the distance a moment ago, the sounds having quieted down leaving only two options: either Randal, and anyone else who might’ve been breaking havoc around the base, was subdued, or then everyone had died. The latter being a possibility that Solara didn’t want to acknowledge, but had to, nonetheless. So, she clenched her jaw, her mind on a straight track to move forward, out of the door and into the courtyard.

Dozens of eyes turned to her, Randal’s unconscious body on the ground, restrained, and a small outline of a figure moving away from the base at high speed. Her eyes having just enough time to register this piece of information, her brows still furrowed as she had prepared to be faced with the worst possible outcome.

“Solara aneue!” Leo called out, hurrying to her.

 _Thank the gods… They’re all alive… For now… as the battle isn’t over yet. Too much has happened in a short timespan for this to be an isolated event,_ she thought as she let out a sigh of relief.

“What’s going on?” she asked, her gaze settling on Leo as he was closest to her.

“Something happened to Randal. He was saying something like ‘us humans need to be eradicated’ and then he attacked us. And we almost lost…” his tone growing more silent and strained along with the last sentence. “I wasn’t strong enough to protect the squad…” he paused, biting down his molars. “But aniue woke up and defeated him!” His voice regaining a bit of its usual enthusiasm.

Solara’s brows fell into a melancholic frown as she placed her hand onto his shoulder. “I sorry that I wasn’t here when it happened,” she stated, sadness and sorrow tugging her heart, while simultaneously denying herself of getting caught up with the mention of his brother. _He’s right… I should’ve rushed to them instead…_

“Don’t blame yourself, my Lady,” Gareth said as he approached the two. “We should be able to handle ourselves as Magic Knights. We can’t expect to have someone glued to our side at all times,” he continued.

 _He’s not wrong,_ she thought. _But I should’ve come to your aid, rather than his. Even if… But he was helpless in that state. But also, less of a threat. Though also not under attack… after the swords… I just…They don’t seem to have noticed the surge of mana that left from me earlier. That’s good._ She sighed before replying: “That is true, but still I feel that I should have been here sooner,” she stated and paused, marking the end of that conversation. “But the battle is still ongoing, and we should see to it.”

“Yes. We received orders from the former Captain Vermillion before he headed out,” Gareth stated factually, making a tense, forced, grin appear on Solara’s face. One that wasn’t a result of amusement, but rather that of determination and nervousness. The kind that speaks of unpleasant feats up ahead, feats that need to be completed.

“Then what are we standing here for? We have our orders and we should follow them without wasting any more time!” She called out, her tone growing louder with each word as her posture straightened, readying herself for the battle up ahead.

“Yes Ma’am!” The men replied and saluted, quickly starting to make their way forward.

“Leo,” Solara half whispered, half said while still placing her hand on the young lion’s shoulder before he could slip away.

“Yes aneue?” he asked, eyes wide open.

She stayed silent for a moment, unsure of what she should wish. _To send a boy of his age to battle? How I wished that I wouldn’t need to see it again…_

“Do your best, and be safe,” she finally stated with a faint, sorrowful smile, opting to say both things she wished to say to him.

“Yes!” He assured her, though worry still crept into Solara’s chest. But she couldn’t do much more than this, so she nodded and let go of him. _He’ll be alright. I need to trust him._ She thought before manifesting her mana skin and soaring to the sky. _I’ve got to find Selena._

\---

_There._

She spotted a figure in the distance, engaged in a battle with two other Magic Knights who were surrounded with the same glow and strange mana that Randal had had. Destruction and havoc being spread around everywhere she looked, civilians running away from the fight. Screams and cries penetrating the air whenever they weren’t drowned under the sounds of explosions and collapsing buildings.

Anger and sorrow twisting and turning inside of her, making her bite down her molars as she flew closer to her sister.

“[ _Gravity of the sun_ ],” she spoke, extending her arm and concentrating on the two knights, who’s ears were pointed and who’s faces were painted with red runes. _Elves? No… not… not quite…Hmmm…_ Her spell holding them securely in place and making Selena turn her head towards her sister.

“[I had everything perfectly in order],” Selena stated, looking at her with a blank expression.

“[I am not doubting that, sister,]” Solara replied while starting to descend to the ground, pulling the two knights with her. “[But this is more efficient. Wouldn’t you agree?]” She grinned, making Selena chuckle in turn.

“[You’re right],” she agreed while following Solara down onto the ground.

Temporary serenity settling around them, broken bricks and stones scattered around them. The cries ringing far in the distance as people had fled from the scene a while ago already, leaving nothing but the echoing of the silence, the sound of death, that always lingered on bloody fields.

“[What do you suppose we should do to them?]” Selena asked, gazing to the two figures for a brief moment.

“[Oh? Did your Captain not give you orders?]” Solara inquired while nodding to the feathered robe that Selena was carrying, making her scoff.

“[I did. But there are multiple ways to go about those orders. You should know that. And as we’re representing Thea-]”

“[We should take that into consideration.]” Solara continued. “[Yes, I know,]” she sighed. “[They’re still citizens of this kingdom, and I-, we have no right to judge them. That is the job of those who hold power here. So, I think we should just incapacitate them.]”

Selena raised an eyebrow at her.

“[You know perfectly well what I mean,]” Solara stated.

“[Yes, I do,]” Selena sighed and blinked slowly, while holding her index and middle finger of her left hand together, loosely clenching the rest of her fingers. The two fingers drew a shape into the air, causing a streak of water behind them whip up against the heads of the two knights, making them loose consciousness.

“[Now that’s just showing off,]” Solara chuckled, crossing her arms.

“[It’s not if you’re the only one looking,]” Selena stated with a monotone voice as Solara gradually let her spell dissipate, setting the two knights onto the ground. “[Besides, these knights are young and of low rank. Additionally, they hadn’t seen much battle in their lifetime, making them relatively easy targets for those with experience and the required set of skills. And I had already worn them out. Thus, I wouldn’t exactly call it ‘showing off’.]” Selena continued, making her sister let out a faint chuckle, the shadow of amusement only passing briefly over her.

“[So, what do you think is going on?]” Solara asked, looking into the distance, towards the centre of the city.

“[Hmmm…] Selena hummed for a moment. “[I can’t say for certain, but it has to be a high-level spell and based on the hatred they were proclaiming against humans, they indeed were at least thinking that they’re something other. They appear to be elves, currently, but before they were clearly human. And those markings… while not something that I’m too familiar with-]”

“[Regeneration spell?]

“[Most likely.]”

Solara only nodded as a reply, while Selena’s gaze also turned towards the castle where malicious mana started to build up. Mana that was meant to break borders between this world and those right beside it.

“[You do know that this isn’t our fight,]” Selena stated nonchalantly, making Solara’s head shoot to her direction.

“[How can you say that?!] Feeling simultaneously an urge to slap her, and yet being unwilling to do so.

“[Get mad all you want. You still know it to be true,]” she continued with the same tone, her eyes turning to Solara, head tilting only slightly towards her sister.

Solara’s jaw tensed up, brows furrowing as she turned back away from Selena. “[It’s becoming our fight. And besides, as long as we’re here, how can we just sit by idly and watch? Or are you implying something else?]”

“[I’m not implying anything,]” Selena sighed. “[Just reminding you that we’re here to help. Not fight the war on their behalf, and as long as it’s something that they can handle, they should. It’s their country, not ours. We are here only to help. Besides, we don’t fight wars even on behalf of Ally Countries, which is why we shouldn’t do it for them either. So, there’s no reason for you to take it as a personal feat.]”

“[I’m already involved on a personal level, so it wouldn’t matter anyhow,]” Solara admitted, making Selena’s head turn to her, fully this time.

“[Oh?]” She paused. “[Now, I’m curious. So, what did you do?]”

“[Not what you think,]” Solara shook her head.

“[And what is it that I think?”]

Solara raised an eyebrow at her, before turning her head away, gazing into the distance. “[I used ‘Kiss of Embers’. That’s it. Nothing more, nothing less, but it’s still a violation on my part.]” She sighed.

Selena stayed silent for a moment, before letting out a small laugh. “[Nothing more? You mean to say that you used a RN2 classified spell outside of Thea, but it doesn’t mean _anything_?]”

Solara only glared at her, not saying anything, letting Selena have her laugh.

“[Sure, whatever you say,]” Selena smirked before her tone faded back into the serious, nonchalant one that it usually was. “[But seriously speaking: how many witnessed that?]”

“[None. To my knowledge.]”

Selena raised an eyebrow at her sister once more. “[Which technically under subclause-]”

“[I’m well aware of said subclause!]” She spat out, and paused, which was followed by a sigh. “[I’m sorry,]” she stated. “[It’s just that-, actually I’m not even sure…]” she sighed again, with a frown. “[But it can wait.]”

Selena smiled and nodded to her. “[It can.]”

“[But what do you say if we tie them up and go around giving the same treatment to anyone under similar conditions, making our way around the Capitol and moving inwards little by little? While also keeping an eye out in case something tries to break through.]”

“[As you wish, sister,]” Selena smirked before turning to the two unconscious knights. “[ _Weight of the Tides_ ,]” she spoke, her mana wrapping around said knights and grounding them in place.

“[As the stars, the sun and the moon are…]” Solara stated.

“[So are we, ever-changing, but never broken.]” Selena continued, and turned to glance over her shoulder with a tired smile. One that was weighed down by memories, and one that was never meant to be a goodbye.

And with that, they parted ways. _“I know of said subclause”. “And it doesn’t mean ‘anything’?”_ The previous conversation playing as a loop in her head. _I know that it’s not ‘nothing’, but how am I supposed to say anything to it?_ She thought as she made her way towards the next prominent source of mana. _Really? What am I supposed to tell her?_ She scoffed at herself with sorrow filled amusement. _That I am in love with a stranger? Heavens no. No, it’d… it is… absurd._

“You vile human!” Yelled a voice nearby. “Prepare to meet-“

“Forgive me, but I am not in the mood to listen to your proclamations at this time,” she stated, her voice firm and loud. “[ _Gravity of the Sun_ ,]” she spoke, tying the poor knight in place, just as the others, before extending one finger from her otherwise clenched hand and sweeping the air before her with it. “[ _Solar Flare._ _]_ ” She whispered, sending a gust of flaming wind their way.

But much to her surprise, her attack was shielded. Them being able to cast a spell, and move inside her spell, even though with heavy, sluggish movements.

“Ha! You think that such as a measly spell would defeat me? The insolence! Now perish!” They spoke, ridiculing her, but she hardly heard the mockery as her mind was still caught in other things.

 _Or, perhaps, that’s precisely what I’m supposed to say. And what I’m not supposed to do, is defend my actions… I wonder… Well, the quicker I deal with this one, the sooner I can think about it._ She clenched her fist. _And they’re proving to be more of a nuisance than they look. But it doesn’t matter. Still a low-ranking knight, untouched by war. This should be over soon._

\---

The Shadow Palace had been summoned in the middle of the city, but its doors had not been opened to spill out death onto this level of existence. Just as it should be. There were realms that ought to stay closed, locked tightly and the keys be thrown away or hidden into the depths of the world. Which was why she had found herself unable to stay far from the castle after the Palace had appeared. And after she had made her way there, she found herself dancing on the thin line of whether to open up her seals again or not. Worry twisting and turning inside of her like the rise and fall of tides, making her feel slightly nauseous.

And while staying as nearby as she possibly could, subduing the possessed knights and helping people out from partially collapsed buildings, she saw just how the knights of this country fought when real push came to show. Although it was far from the unified, organized military tactics that were encouraged elsewhere, it worked. The chaos and the struggled, it somehow melted together into something… unbelievable and yet cohesive. _Trust_. It was characterized by trust that they all had in each other. Each and every one of those things shedding belief in her, belief that they, these knights, they could do it. They could rise against the odds and fight this evil.

And so, they did. The Shadow Palace disappeared and a luminous World Tree had appeared, bringing peace to the souls of the dead who then rose to the skies, leaving the living behind. Just as it should be. Silence settling back in the air. The silence that always lingered on battlefields after war. Eerie and lonely. Only the shattered bricks and empty streets before her.

 _It’s over,_ she thought, staring towards the castle where mana still lingered. Mana, but that of humans. _I need to regroup with the others. And report myself to Mereo, to let her know that I’m alive._ She sighed. _This where the work starts. Trying to rebuild and salvage. Trying to bring order amidst chaos. And I,- I need to find the time to write back home…_

\---

Solara flew towards the fading source of the magic that had summoned forth image the Tree of The World, feeling the faint flutter of familiar manas as she approached. _It seems they are all alright, or alive at least. I count that as a win,_ she thought as she let out a sigh of relief, eventually spotting a familiar figure in a red cape down beneath.

 _Yes, I should’ve been more confident in it not being a farewell,_ she scoffed to herself amusedly as she began lowering herself down nearby Mereo and the other red-caped figure that stood next to her. _Calm down,_ she commanded herself as she had a fair idea who it was. No. Rather, she knew who it was. How could she not? She would recognize that roar of flaming mana anywhere, even amidst the darkest of nights, she was confident that she would recognize it.

“And where have you been?!” Mereo yelled, her eyes turning to Solara’s direction, arms crossed in front of her, but a smirk painted over her lips.

“I could ask you the same thing,” she smirked back right as her feet were about to touch the ground, her gaze firmly on the ground until then, but still she saw how he turned around to face her. “Or rather, should I instead ask why did you bring the battle here? I thought the reason you stepped out was because the terrorists were too scared to come confront you?” She let her gaze rise to Mereo as she took steps forward, crossing her arms as well, mirroring Mereo by doing so. Her heart banging against her ribs, the sound of which rang in her ears. _It worked…He’s awake…And now he’s right there…_ She tried to hide her grin into the smirk she was giving to Mereo. _If only my heart could be still. Well not still, still. Oh no. Though he might make that happen as well. Okay, that’s enough, concentrate on breathing. That’s right. Just breath._

“They were. They got so scared that they ran away from me,” Mereo laughed, making Solara scoff.

“I should’ve known,” she chuckled, rolling her eyes with a prominent grin.

“Yes, you should’ve,” Mereo smirked, before turning her attention away from Solara, her smile melting into a smirk. “Stop drooling,” she stated as she turned her head, an action which Solara followed.

Her eyes finally landed onto the man, who now was gazing to his sister. _Purple… His eyes are purple…_

“I am not ‘drooling’,” he stated, strain lacing his voice.

“Then what are you doing?” Mereo questioned, raising an eyebrow.

“I just haven’t seen her before, and as she’s wearing the squad uniform, I am curious as to who she is,” he stated factually, his brows furrowing.

“Then shouldn’t you ask it from her instead of staring at her?” Mereo taunted, clearly having way too much fun with it.

“You were in the middle of a conversation. It would’ve been rude of me to interrupt.” His voice grew heavier with each word, the weight of which accumulated over Solara’s chest, making it more difficult to breath little by little.

 _His voice…_ She thought in the brief moment that existed between his statement and Mereo’s reply.

“And-, and it was rude of me to disregard you while arriving,” Solara spoke before Mereo had a chance to do so, hoping that she could divert the attention away from the sibling scuffle that was about to follow. “I apologize for that,” she smiled as her arms fell to her sides, an apology painted over her expression as he turned around.

“No, no,” he began as his eyes met hers, “you were spoken to. Thus, it only made sense for you to direct your attention to the one speaking to you.” He gave her a faint smile, making waves of warmth wash over her.

“Forgive me my rudeness… Lord Vermillion,” she swallowed, her throat feeling dry. “But it almost sounds like you’re making excuses on my behalf,” she smiled awkwardly.

“No, no,” he shook his head. “I’m not making excuses. And even if I was, would it not be my decision to decide if I’ve been disrespected in the first place?”

_His smile… That damn smile… I wanted to see it so badly, but now… How am I supposed to-_

“You make a fair point,” she agreed, trying to keep her voice from shaking, while the pieces of her heart that had tumbled down into her stomach started collecting back together. The golden strings of fate stitching them together slowly, while she started feeling light headed. _I’m starting to shake… I hope that he doesn’t notice. I hope that he doesn’t notice._

He nodded to her, his eyes staying fixed with hers as a small silence lingered between them. “It’s nice to meet you-,” he began, holding his hand towards her. But then he stumbled forward as if he had been pushed, nearly colliding with Solara. And as her eyes broke contact with his, they saw Mereo grinning, making her guess that Mereo probably had indeed given him a nudge.

Fuegoleon turned around and scowled at Mereo. “What was that about?” He asked, tension building back up to his tone.

“You looked like you were in need of encouragement,” Mereo scoffed.

“In need of encouragement?” he questioned, raising an eyebrow at her.

“That’s right. Standing around with a glazed expression, like a fool. So, I thought I’d give you a nudge,” she stated while turning her gaze away, waving her hand as if to brush off the conversation.

“By shoving me against her?” He questioned, not even a hint of amusement in his tone.

Mereo glanced back at him and for a moment she looked like she was about to say something further, but instead just scoffed and started walking away. “I’m going to check up on the cubs, Solara. You look after this one for a while!” She called out without turning back to look, waving her hand as she did so.

“Cubs?” he asked, turning back to Solara with a raised eyebrow.

“The squad. She means the squad,” Solara clarified, tilting her head with slight embarrassment.

“Um,” he uttered, barely audibly. But given how close to each other they were standing; Solara couldn’t help but hear it.

Her gaze climbed up to meet his eyes once more, the warmth of his body radiating through the air. _He’s so close…_ ”We, um, we made an arrangement,” she paused as her gaze fell to the side, unable to stand the intensity of his gaze. “While she’s gone, I was supposed to watch after the squad on her behalf. Suppose, I dropped the ball today,” she spoke with a hushed tone, the corners of her lips tugging back into a forced, grimacing grin. _Why must you stand so close…?_

“Hm?” he uttered, his gaze still cascading over her as he stood in his place.

“I wasn’t there when things turned south,” she clarified, her gaze lifting back up as a faint blush rose to her cheekbones.

“Oh, right.” He paused and closed his eyes for a moment, as if to ponder what to say next. But as he spoke after only a few seconds of silence, it must’ve been something else. “Technically speaking, neither was I.” He spoke with a calm and quiet tone, each syllable falling over Solara like gentle summer rain. “I just happened to arrive quicker,” he said, his statement feeling more like an afterthought.

“Suppose you’re right,” she whispered, feeling her chest start to heave. _Calm down. Take deep breaths,_ she thought as her eyes fell from his back to the side.

He only hummed in agreement. And had it not been the faint breeze that travelled through the brief space between them, silence would have again settled down in the air.

“Solara?” he asked, her name falling from his lips like forbidden elixir of the gods. Unattainable star dust that the sun would never know, but still craved.

Her eyes rose from the ground, stopping at his lips for a moment before continuing to meet his gaze. “Yes?”

A smile tugged his lips up before he blinked slowly, as if to give himself time to think of a question. “Nothing.” He replied, pausing as Solara waited for him to continue. “I’m just happy to meet you,” he confessed, caressing each word as they left his lips.

“Likewise,” she whispered back as his confession sew her heart back together with golden stiches. But that’s the thing about stitching: if they’re ripped open before the wound has healed, the scars will run all the more deep.


	8. Words and visitations from Thea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Weeks seem to fly by as everybody is trying to pull their weight, just to get the kingdom back onto its feet. But while the Magic Knights have that on their hand, Solara also battles with her creeping worry. What would be said about her actions, and what would be required of her as a result. She had tried to play it by the rules as much as she could, while still doing what she felt was right, but would it be deemed so?  
> And what does it all mean for her on an emotional level?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!  
> If you've been reading thus far, thanx for doing so (and a special thanks to those who have commented and/or left kudos!). This was a difficult chapter for me to write, but I do hope that you deem it to be up to code (and standards), as well as credible. Thanx for reading!
> 
> NOTE about lingo: Once you get to it, please note that "Lidre" is a word that I came up with (hopefully it doesn't mean anything in an existing language), and it's meant to be a title, same as "Lord" or "Lady", but non-gender specific. So: "Lord" = he, "Lady" = her, "Lidre" = they

The following day Fuegoleon entered his office at the Crimson Lion King’s headquarters, only intending to stop by as the aftermath of yesterday’s altercation had only begun. He saw papers scattered all around his desk, chair pushed aside, angled and facing the door as if the person getting up from it had been in a rush. Which was no wonder, so he only made his way to the desk and gazed to the documents, picking one of them up.

 _Hmm… I don’t recognize the handwriting._ He thought to himself before starting to read. His hand pulling the chair closer as he sat down and leaned back. But as his head settled to the furnishing of the chair, a faint smell of jasmine lingered in the air, inviting him to sink further in. His eyelids feeling heavier than a moment ago, tension leaving his muscles as he took a deep breath.

A smile tugged his lips up, his eyes turning away from the world of legislation and into the distance. Silence and tranquillity enveloping him, until he shook his head. _No, I can’t stay here. There is much to be done._ He thought, forcing himself to sip upright. His hands instead moving to gather the papers, sorting them into appropriate piles and checking a few details before heading back out. But still, the smile remained over his lips as the memory of the faint smell lingered.

\---

Weeks passed. Everybody doing what they could, simply trying to secure a point where it could be said that all survivors had been located from the rubble and the dead had been counted. A kind of routine settling in place, even if it was very different of what it had been. But that is what the initial shock of the aftermath brought with it.

Solara had sent a report back home one night before setting down to sleep. Her heart pounding in her chest, torn by the unwillingness to leave things as they were, and going back home. But as she had not been confronted about her seals, she stayed, waiting to hear back and trusting that those back home in Thea could see why she had stayed. Even if the anxiety built inside of her day by day, and the longer she stayed, the less she wanted to leave. The net, weaved by the golden threads of fate, had wrapped around her too tight for her to simply walk away from it all. To walk away from him.

She tried to rationalize her actions to herself, trying to convince herself that she had acted with good judgement. That she had indeed worked for the best interest of the masses of this kingdom, while still not jeopardizing her own people in the process. But the more she thought and tried to rationalize, the more difficult it became to breath. Weight building up on top of her chest and heavy, dark, suffocating clouds hanging over her head.

 _This worry…It speaks of my actions…_ She realized one night. _If I knew, deep down, that I had acted accordingly, I wouldn’t be feeling like this. Though sometimes, you can do everything right, and still fail. But this isn’t about failure, is it? I’m weighed down, because I don’t have a clear conscience, right? But… if I could go back and do things differently, would I?_ She pondered for a while as stared at the ceiling that night. Listening to the silence as she let her thoughts swirl around, looking for an answer. _No. I wouldn’t._ She concluded to herself as she rolled over, the admission that she made herself, eased her anxiety. _I would choose as I did. So, it’s not the act that bothers me, it’s the accountability. And now,_ she smirked to herself, melancholy painted over her eyes. _Now I need to live with the consequences. All I can do, is wait. Worrying over it doesn’t get me anywhere._ And as strange as it was, the twisting and turning in her chest, the suffocating clouds, faded away. Because, if anything, she had stayed true to herself.

\---

“Sir,” Randal greeted Fuegoleon as he was making his way down a corridor of the base.

“Yes?” He stated and turned around to face Randal.

“I was just on my way to deliver the latest reports dealing on the terrorist attack, and it seems that the situation is slowly settling down. So, I suspect that we can get back on track shortly and start delivering aid to those who need it.” Randal stated, handing forth a pile of documents to Fuegoleon.

“Hmm…” He hummed out, taking the papers into his hand. “That’s good to hear,” he stated, eyeing through the files quickly. “How far behind are with paperwork all in all? I take it that there’s still some left from the past 6 months.”

“Not that much actually, Sir,” Randal replied, making Fuegoleon’s gaze lift to him from the forms.

“Oh? Has my sister redeemed herself when it comes to paperwork?” He asked, raising his eyebrow in disbelief.

Randal cleared his throat, his gaze falling to the floor and to the side. “Um. I-, I can’t say that she has, Sir.”

Fuegoleon stared at him, confusion still prominent on him. “Then who helped you with this?” He simply asked, knowing that there was too much work for only person to complete.

“Solara,” Randal stated frankly, his gaze lifting back up to meet Fuegoleon’s.

A faint smile tugged the corners of his lips up as he heard her name, his eyes falling back to the papers, but his gaze was into the distance. The memory of the previously unknown handwriting and the faint smell of jasmine returning to him. _So… it was her…_

“Actually, she’s been keeping that up ever since your return, Sir. And, if I may...” Randal continued.

“Yes?” Fuegoleon uttered, raising his gaze back up; feeling a faint tug in his chest. An uneasy feeling rising from the bottom of his stomach, making his brows furrow slightly as he wasn’t sure what to expect.

“I was hoping that we could set up an office for her and allow her, as long as she accepts of course, to continue doing so.”

The tugging in Fuegoleon’s chest settled down, his muscles relaxing and the smile returning to his lips. “Of course,” he simply replied, intending to continue, but was interrupted by a faint humming that was coming from around the corner.

They both turned towards the sound, seeing Solara emerge with a stack of unopened letters in hand.

“Oh,” she uttered upon seeing the two, ceasing her humming. “Good day,” she greeted, making her way closer. Her heart rate rising with each step she took closer.

Even if it had been weeks since she had met with Fuegoleon, they hadn’t had much time to interact. Always seeming to pass each other by, which wasn’t that different from the time he was in coma. Except that now he was here, smiling, speaking, lingering around. His warm presence lighting up the entire base. _I shouldn’t. Not until I hear back. I shouldn’t. I know that I *really* shouldn’t. I shouldn’t get closer to him… I’m most likely hearing back today, so after that I’ll know what is coming my way. But I-, I can’t get close to him until I know._

The two greeted her in return, nodding their heads. Fuegoleon’s smile deepening as she stood close. His gaze cascading over her gently like the first rays of morning’s light.

“Here’s the mail for today. Doesn’t seem to be anything too urgent,” she stated, handing the pile to Randal who nodded with a hum while taking the letters.

“Miss?” Fuegoleon asked, his tone soft and careful, almost as if to comfort her.

“Yes?” Solara replied, turning her gaze to him. Their eyes locking for the first time since the day they met, making her heart want to leap out from her chest.

“I usually conduct a kind of an interview with new squad members as they join, the purpose of which is to get to know with the said member. And as I haven’t done that with you yet, I would ask you to join me in my office later today.” His tone gentle and stern; his eyes soft and caring.

“Forgive me, Sir. But don’t you have meetings scheduled for the rest of the day?” Randal asked, stepping into the conversation.

“Hm?” Fuegoleon uttered, his gaze shifting to Randal for a moment. “Oh, yes. Some other time then? Unfortunately, I need to check my schedule.” He asked as his gaze locked with Solara’s again, eyes veiled with an apology.

“Some other time then,” she agreed with a smile, feeling both surge of happiness course through her, making her feel light as a feather. But also, the weight of the uncertainty as she still did not know if she’d be issued with an order to return home, or worse. And yet, in that moment, what mattered the most was his kind eyes and gentle smile. Those deep, soulful eyes into which she could get lost in, but wouldn’t mind. And that smile… his lips, oh the urge, the longing that she felt. Just wanting, hoping that she could press hers against his, even if for a second, just to see how their lips would taste together. Just to see, for one fading moment, what it would be like; to be his.

And with that, they wished each other farewells for the day, unable to shake the smiles from their faces.

\---

That evening, Solara received word from home. Her heart crashing to the pit of her stomach as she saw a message, notifying her of an incoming reply. Air escaped her lungs, blood rushing away from her complexion and her hands starting to shake. So, she sat on her bed, feeling nauseous and heavy, as if the entire world was hanging over her.

Slouching forward she opened the document, trying her best to prepare herself for the worst.

 _…Alright…_ She took a deep breath. _Time to see what they have to say._

[Lady Solara Ariella Equinox,

The Council has received Your report concerning the events that took place on the 14th of Quintilis (Thean Calendar) in Clover Kingdom, currently ruled by King Augustus Kira Clover XIII and The 28th Wizard King Julius Novachrono (who are not affiliated with each other romantically). In the report You described actions that were in violation with the Homeland Security Act (926) Clause 31 and described the events leading up to said violation.

The Council sent a third party to inspect the potential threat that Clover Kingdom might possess against The Queendom of Thea. The current threat level was estimated to be ‘minimal’ due to geographical positioning of the two nations. Additionally, as Clover Kingdom has only begun to recover from the effects of the battle, during which the before addressed violation took place, the resources of Clover Kingdom are deemed inadequate to pose threat to The Queendom of Thea at this time. Furthermore, the habitants of Clover Kingdom have been evaluated to have relatively restricted mana pools and mana replenishing capabilities to be lacking.

The Council has taken into consideration of Your rank, security rating, the events as they have been reported and Your reasoning behind the actions leading up to the violation in question. The observations have been deemed adequate. The reasoning has been deemed faulty. The actions taken to rectify the violation have been deemed adequate according to Homeland Security Act (926) Clause 31 Subclause 2, and Subclause 3 of the same Act.

The Council requires further elaboration on Your reasoning during the 14th of Quintilis to determine if there is need for further education on Reasoning and Priority Analysis During Battle, or if this was an isolated event.

The Council has deemed Your return back to The Queendom of Thea unnecessary at this time.

Only Truth Shall Prevail,

The 35th High Council of The Queendom of Thea]

Solara stared at the document for a moment. Silence lingering in the room, but even that went unnoticed by her.

 _…Really? Just like that…? I did not expect that. Though I still do need to write a follow up._ She thought, the train of thought pausing for a moment as her eyes started dancing over the words once more. _Also, I suppose that I should applaud them for being so efficient, though the chaos that’s currently present here does allow for an easier investigation._ She sighed to herself, putting down her communicator as a smile emerged over her lips. _But they deem our people to be safe, and I… I can stay…_ She felt a wave of relief wash over her; her muscles starting to relax and her eye lids suddenly feeling heavy as lead. _It’s alright, it’s all going to be alright…_ She thought as she was overtaken by an urge to climb under covers and sleep well for the first time in weeks.

\---

Solara was walking back to the base, late in the evening after a long day. The Capitol’s reconstruction was well underway and help was being sent out to those in need, even if it consisted most of the entire kingdom. _Even if it consists the entire kingdom…_ She sighed… _One day at a time…_ she thought as she gazed up to the dark skies, the stars shining high up. A breeze passed her, making the air smell like dew and grass, crickets chirped in the distance, and she drew her lungs full of air.

She stopped. A faint flow of mana appeared right behind her, seemingly out of nowhere and almost non-existent. But it was one that she recognized and thus, a smile appeared over her lips.

“[Good evening Lidre Curiosi,]” she greeted as she turned around and saw the figure that now stood before her. Their entire outfit consisting of only layers upon layers of black, one barely able to distinguish the point where their pants stopped and their vest began. Their mouth covered and the rest of the face hidden under a hood. Black gloves to match the rest of the ensemble. Only their arms bare, which she had never understood. Even after asking about it, though she had not been supplied with a proper answer. _They have their secrets,_ was all that she had concluded.

The figure simply stood there, in silence, before walking past her. To the side and towards the woods. Solara followed them with her gaze for a moment, before sighing internally. _Always with their secrets… But it was nice of them to notify me of their presence._

She shrugged to herself and started to follow, only the sound of her feet rusting against the grass and the sounds of nature breaking the silence. As they approached the trees, the rustling of leaves accompanied itself with the rest of the soft melody; shadows dancing at the edge of the tree line with the swaying of the flora around.

They walked only at the edge of the forest and sat down next to a tree and leaned against it, facing into the woods and tapped the ground next to them with their palm. An act that could’ve been seen as patronizing, but coming from them, it was simply an invitation. Thus, she sat down next to them, leaning against the tree as well, and as she did, they leaned a bit forward. But only enough to be able to pull down their hood, before leaning back.

She watched them go through the motions with a gentle smile on her face. Their ice blue eyes turned to her; their mouth still covered. The contrast wasn’t eased by their blank expression, but it’s the only one they ever bore, excluding the occasions when their eyes radiated with a hint of the emotion they were feeling. The occasions that never existed in an official setting. They turned their gaze away for a brief moment while they took a glove of, only from the hand that was closest to Solara; and gazed back to her, lifting his arm.

They hovered their hand horizontally in the air towards the forest, palm up and fingers out stretched. Solara nodded and placed her hand on top of theirs, fingers aligned but not pressing against each other. Her gaze met with theirs for a moment, before they both faced forward, settling down against the tree.

Two taps at the tip of her index finger.

Two taps at the edge of their index finger. “[Hey],” she greeted out loud.

More taps against her fingers.

She tapped back, much slower than they. “[I take it you read my follow up report?]

One tap to the tip of her ring finger.

A faint puff or air escaped her lungs as she thought what to say, amused at the absurdity of the situation as a whole before she tapped back. “[To tell the truth. I don’t know. But now, I feel that I need to be here. And…]” She stayed silent for a moment as she thought.

They tapped against her hand, making a smile appear on her lips.

One tap to the tip of their ring finger first, and then she paused, the action making her answer gain gravity. Her gaze fell to the ground for a moment before continuing. “[I don’t even know if it really is that, but … what else could it be?]”

They didn’t tap back, either not knowing what to say, or then the answer lied in the lingering silence that hovered between them

“[If you could thank Celer on my behalf for working so efficiently and getting their report out so shortly. It really eased up my nerves to hear back so soon,]” she continued, glancing to the Head of House Curiosi for a moment, who only blinked slowly in agreement.

They tapped her hand again after a brief pause, diverting the conversation elsewhere.

She smiled, feeling relieved and exited at the same time. “[It is isn’t it? It’s so completely different from Thea, but still, it’s amazing in its own way. The people-]”

She was abruptly stopped as they pressed their other hand on top of hers, pressing her hand between theirs, making her head dart to them. They stared her in the eye for a moment, before lifting their gloved hand away, shaking their head. Their eyes pierced through the air, locking onto hers as they repeated Solara’s previous taps and shook their head again while blinking slowly. She nodded to them, the movement careful and heavy as she focused on what would follow. And as they began tapping again, more slowly than before, pressing each tap, she tried to memories each and every one of them.

For a moment the air stood still between them, Solara’s brows furrowed as she tried to notice her mistake. She began tapping once more, carefully and hesitantly, as if trying to articulate each syllable of spoken speech correctly. “[It is isn’t it? It’s completely different from Thea, but still, it’s amazing in its own way.]” She repeated, earning a nod from them before they leaned back against the tree; visibly relaxing as a moment of silence filled the empty space again.

“[May I ask what you’re doing here?]” She asked; her tapping remaining slow and soft, much like her speech.

They tapped her hand, only giving a vague answer, but an answer nonetheless.

She nodded to them, tapping the closest joint of their index finger once. But as they began tapping again, her gaze fell to the ground, eyes veiled with uncertainty. They waited for her to reply, but as she didn’t, they continued; elaborating. She knew it wasn’t with ill intent, but rather to remind her of certain facts; their statement finishing with the repetition of their initial question.

“[I don’t know.]” She only replied, her tone quiet and apprehensive.

More taps on her hand, less fluent than before, trying to reassure her while still stating the facts.

“[I know. And I will.]” She breathed out, the movements of her fingers forced and heavy.

They nodded and removed their hand from hers, putting on their glove and listening to the rustling of leaves for a moment longer. Solara did the same, directing her gaze forward and letting her mind wander free, until she felt their hand on her shoulder. Their palm settling down just long enough for them to give her a slight pat before they retracted their hand and pulled up their hood once more.

“[Give everyone my best regards,]” she smiled as they got up; their head turning slightly towards her as they nodded. And with that they took a step forward, vanishing without a trace. Not a sound, not a flicker of mana. Just gone.

Solara tilted her head as her brow furrowed, staring into the dark woods ahead of her. _Wow, they really are good at that. But what else could I expect from them?_ She shrugged to herself as she got up and started making her way back to the base.

\---

Fuegoleon closed his office door with a sigh on his way out. Little by little they were making progress, but it seemed as if every resolved problem was followed three new ones. An endless ocean of trouble, or so it seemed. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he thought: _It always seems to get worse before it gets better. All we can do is endure it and move forward, one step at a time,_ he reminded himself, but it did little to reassure him. _So much has happened, during the time… that I wasn’t here, and since then._ He gazed to his right hand, now composed of only his own flames. A veil of sorrow and frustration was pulled over his eyes as he stared at it, feeling anger building up inside of him; swirling and raging much like an open flame.

He began tumbling deeper into thought. The flutter of his mana intensified little by little, collecting around him and making the air heavy. But his trance was broken by a faint hum that pierced through the silence in the hallway; a soft melody that was faintly familiar to him. And as Solara emerged behind the corner, the tune started caressing him, making tension melt from his muscles. Flowing from his chest all the way down to his feet, from where it seeped into the floor under him. The weight of his worries fading and making him feel light, his posture straightening as a result.

“Good evening Sir,” she greeted as she approached; her heart thumping against her ribs and a smile decorating her lips as much as her eyes.

“Good evening,” he replied, unable to and unwilling to supress the smile that appeared on his lips. His eyes cascading over her entire form for a moment, but settling in her green eyes in which every now and then small specks of gold glittered.

“Is everything alright Sir?” she asked, worry veiling over her, but her eyes still lingering in his.

“Yes.” He whispered, the statement careful and caressing, soft as a feather pillow. “Why do you ask?” he continued, unable to shake his expression from the tender smile that was painted over him.

“Oh, I just thought that I felt a kind of tension in the air a moment ago.” She confessed, tilting her head and turning her eyes to the side for a moment. “But I suppose I must have imagined it.” She continued with a hint of apology in her tone as she let her gaze rise back up, making a brief stop at his lips. _Don’t,_ she thought to herself.

He shook his head. “Everything being as it is at the moment, some tension is understandable.” He stated, not really knowing what he meant with it and only hearing the words as they had already left him.

“That is true,” she agreed, her gaze falling back to the side, her heart racing nearly as fast as his.

“Taking work with you?” he asked, changing the subject, as he made a slight nod towards the book that was in her hand.

“Hm?” she uttered as she first tried to grasp his question. “Oh, this?” She continued, holding the book closer to her chest and turning her gaze onto its cover instead. “No, it’s a book I’m reading to Leo. I haven’t been able to do so each night, so it’s taking longer than I thought, but it’s progressing.” She said with a smile.

“You’re reading to Leo?” He asked, his brow raising slightly and his surprise clear from his tone.

She let out a light chuckle. “Yes, I am,” she smiled, turning her gaze to him once more and seeing the wonder in his eyes. “You see,” she continued, not knowing how to formulate her answer. “Actually, I have to admit that it’s slightly embarrassing.” She admitted.

“We can continue in my office, if you’d prefer,” he suggested, making her shake her head.

“No, no, not quite that embarrassing. But thank you,” she chuckled, feeling heat slowly rising to her cheeks as he nodded to her as a reply. “When, when you were in a coma, Leo expressed his wish to be there for you and he felt a bit,” she paused searching the right word. “Inadequate, I supposed. He, he wanted to do more, but as there was very little that he could actually do, I suggested that he could read to you. Since I had heard that coma patients can hear speech and sounds around them, I thought that with that he’d be able to let you know that he’s there for you. But, um, somehow I ended up doing the reading in his place.” She admitted with a nervous chuckled. “And it became a routine for us, for a little while at least. Something we’re trying to continue now.” Her gaze lifted to him slowly and hesitantly, as she wasn’t certain how he’d react.

The expression he wore, was surprised, but not angry or judging, taken aback if anything. “Thank you,” he stated with gratitude, unable to say anything else to her admission.

“You’re welcome,” she replied, the words feeling clumsy as they tumbled from her mouth.

“Which book is it?” he asked, trying to fill in the brief silence that tried to settle between them.

She held the book out to him, and upon seeing the title the soft smile reappeared on his lips.

“This used to be my favourite,” he stated as he took the book into his hand.

“So, I hear,” she smiled, making him let out a faint chuckle.

“How do you like it?” he asked, his gaze rising to her and making the golden strings tied around her heart tug.

“Are you asking for my opinion on a story I have not yet read,” she smirked, her tone taunting him slightly. _No. Why- why did you just say that?_ She immediately scolded herself.

“That is a fair point,” he chuckled as he handed the book back, his gaze again cascading over her. “So, perhaps, once you’ve read it; maybe we could discuss it?” He asked, almost apprehensive. Like a lion circles his pray before leaping forth, observing, wondering and testing.

“I’d like that,” she replied with a smile. Small silence settling between them again as they stared into each other’s eyes. _His eyes really are beautiful. Deep and soulful, such that I could get lost in, and I wouldn’t mind._

He nodded to her, pleased with the reply, but not moving a muscle to move forward. Simply standing still and admiring that which was before him.

“So, good night… Sir,” the wishing flowing from her, barely past her lips and taking flight with fragile wings that, against all odds, managed to flutter to him.

“Good night,” he replied, taking a forced step forward. As if he was being torn, his feet ripping him away from her one step at a time. But the moment was over. He couldn’t justify himself to stay any longer. Not a single argument surface that would have allowed him to stay for even a little while longer, but his heart; it wouldn’t have needed such justifications.


	9. The signature

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solara and Fuegoleon have a discussion, during which he requests Solara to fill in necessary paperwork for her official enrolment to the squad as she is still a member by an oral contract only. But it again raises the questions she previously expressed to Mereo. She should not be a knight of another nation, even if resigning is always an option. And Fuegoleon knows it too. If she was an official member, he'd be accountable for her juridically. The reasonable solution being to let her go.  
> And while that conversation takes place, so does another one, far away from Clover Kingdom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! ^_^  
> Thank you for reading this far (again), and I hope that I won't disappoint with this chapter. I do need to admit that it's mostly just character bonding, so not much of action. But I hope it still keeps you interested.

The next day Solara knocked on the sturdy wooden door of the captain’s office, not quite sure what to expect but agreeing that this needed to be done. After all, Mereo had expressed very little will to continue as the captain of the Crimson Lion King, and thus having an introductory meeting such as this was well overdue with the current, handsome and kind, captain. And so, she couldn’t say that she opposed the idea of being able to spend time in the office, his office, just the two of them. Her lips turned into a soft smile as she thought about him, feeling warmth spread across her chest. She caught herself in the act, trying to snuff out the telling expression she must have had as she heard a reply from behind the door: “Come in.” The low, friendly voice bringing her smile forth once more, and all she could do in the moment was to hope that he’d see it as nothing more than a friendly smile. So, she tried to hide her feelings under a courteous tone and a friendly expression as she opened the door, after all, she couldn’t make the depth of her emotions known to him.

_Calm down. We have only known for a short while, and he… he doesn’t feel as I do. How could he? For now, you’re allowed to stay and that… that’ll suffice…_

His eyes turned to her as she emerged into the room, a smile radiating from those beautiful purple eyes, extending onto his lips. “I’m sorry to disturb you, Sir. But I was wondering if you’d have a moment to have the conversation we were supposed to have yesterday.” Her voice coming out more gentle than she intended, making her bite down her molars.

“Yes, please do sit down while I finish writing down this paragraph,” he stated as he gestured towards the empty seat across from him before letting his gaze fall back into the documents laid on the table.

Solara closed the door, the steady sound of pen scratching paper and clothes ruffling filling the silence as she made her way to the chair, trying to keep herself from staring him. She sat down, stealing glances at him and the lingering smile that was still painted on his complexion. _He must be having a good day,_ she thought as she crossed her ankles, setting her legs in a slight slant and correcting her posture. She made a conscious effort to occasionally shift her eyes from him, letting it wander freely in the room, but as pulled by some unknown force, her gaze always gravitated back to him. Her eyes admiring every movement his hand made as the pen glided across the paper, leaving behind nothing but intricately crafted letters.

He set down his pen, closing the ink bottle next to it and removing the stack of papers from between them. She waited for him to start, tilting her head as their gazes met. He placed his hands on the table crossing his fingers as his gaze fell to the desk for a brief moment. “Firstly, I’d like to welcome you to the squad on my behalf as well. We’re fortunate to have you, but um… I must apologize as I haven’t been able to locate the paperwork for your enrolment. During the time my sister took over this squad, she must have had a different filing system and it must have been displaced somewhere. Furthermore-“ his gaze radiated sincere regret as Solara lifted her hand, giving him an apologetic smile in turn as she interrupted him.

“Sir, if I may,” she asked, her tone gentle like the summer breeze. He only nodded, not remarking her behaviour. “I’m afraid that you haven’t displaced those forms.” He frowned in confusion, staying silent as he waited for her to continue. “The reason why you can’t find them, is that I never filled such papers.” She admitted as she lowered her hand back down onto her lap.

He blinked and let out a small sigh as his hand reached onto a side drawer. “It seems that this squad was run a bit differently as I was gone,” he muttered more to himself than to her, but still letting her know that his disappointment wasn’t directed at her. He retrieved a form and placed it on the desk, pushing it towards her. “Here, I must ask you to fill it.” His statement was stern, oozing the slightest hints of implore as he retracted his hand to offer her a pen and ink.

She gazed at the paper, her smile becoming painted with a veil of melancholy as she felt the still healing stitches, that held her heart together, starting to pull apart. Because, even if signing that document was nothing more than a formality, it could make all the difference. _If I sign that, he can no longer deny me being a part of the squad. An oral contract is very different from a written one, and with this… he’ll be held accountable for me…_ She thought while the multiple reminders of her superiors twisted and turned in her mind, surfacing the same concerns she once upon a time expressed to Mereo. The undefeated lioness who couldn’t care less about words on paper if it contested that which she witnessed in reality.

She stood up and pushed the document back towards him. She felt her heart starting to tumble back down to her stomach “I’m afraid I can’t do that,” she forced the apology past her lips as she removed her cape and started to fold it neatly in her hands. The action came more easily than she could have anticipated, but she still wasn’t a citizen of this kingdom and despite all that she had done thus far for their sake, she wasn’t one of them. _What did I really expect when I came here?_ She questioned from her, feeling bitter amusement rising from her chest and burning the back of her eyes, as that which she really wanted, nearly rolled down her cheeks. The reality being that she would have like to stay for more reasons than one, but her position, her commitments, they weighed her down and she couldn’t take up citizenship of another kingdom. No, not this hastily at least. And though it pained her, she knew that this was the only sensible solution. His movements halted as his gaze fixed on her.

“Why? Do you not wish to stay?” he asked, more informally than he intended as a saddened frown rose to his complexion.

“It’s not that, I can assure you,” she admitted, unable to meet his gaze as her heart clenched at his question. Her eyes staring into the depths of his desk as hearing that question, uttered with that tone of his which made all other sounds seem hollow, but which was also veiled with unexplained sorrow, and dare she say pain, which pierced through her like a smouldering spike.

“Then, why?” he asked, once more.

Solara stayed silent for a moment, slowly lifting her gaze. “Do correct me if I’m wrong, but I’d need to be a citizen of this country to do so, wouldn’t I? You’re sworn to protect this country and its people, and I… I have previous commitments to Thea.” He stayed silent, not knowing what to say and thus allowing for a brief silence to settle into the air. “I had this conversation with Mereo-,” she paused and cleared her throat. “With Lady Vermillion, and I believe her answer was along the lines of not caring about what it says on paper as long as I work for the benefit of Clover Kingdom and its people.”

He frowned at her statement. “Just like that?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well…” she paused as her gaze lifted momentarily towards the ceiling as a faint, amused smirk tugged her lips. “There might have been something about being held personally accountable to her, would I choose to participate in foul play. And Lady Vermillion does strike me as a person who would chase me to the ends of the earth just to make me pay in the most unpleasant way.” She chuckled slightly, making a small smile pass over his lips.

“Rhyme intended?” he asked, knowing what she meant with her statement.

“A happy accident,” she admitted before continuing, her tone regaining gravity. “So, we formed an agreement, trusting that we’d both hold our end of the bargain. Besides, personally, I don’t think I need a signed piece of paper to be a decent human being and help people if I can. But um…” her gaze fell to the side as she admitted, “I did initially feel… guilty, initially, for portraying myself as a member of the Crimson Lion Kings, even if I wasn’t. But I reasoned for myself that people would be more willing to accept my help, if I wore the insignia, so… so I chose. And little by little I did feel like I grew to be a part of the squad, so I can’t say that I’d be weighed down by guilt anymore.” She met his gaze once more, silence falling into the room as Fuegoleon crossed his fingers, covering his mouth as he leaned against his arms. His eyes were closed for a moment only to stare into the distance once he opened them.

Solara placed the folded cape onto his desk, fingers lingering on the soft fabric. “So… this is yours, and I’ll-“ she started.

“Do you have other ‘previous commitments’?” he asked, speaking on top of her, his gaze focusing on her. Their eyes met as she stopped, standing in place as a result of the sudden question.

“Other than Thea? No.” Her statement was short and genuine, but a small frown tugged her features as she wondered the course of the conversation.

“How far is Thea?” he asked, making her frown deepen.

“Very far. The exact distance I don’t know, but let’s just say that I wouldn’t be keen on travelling by any other means than magical, and even then, you’d need a powerful mage if you wished to travel from any location.” Silence fell between them, his eyes falling back to the desk in thought as hers stayed on him. She straightened her back, finally lifting her fingers from the folded piece of fabric on the table as she waited for him to continue.

“Would you say that an altercation between Thea and the Clover Kingdom is highly unlikely?” he gazed back to her, his eyes telling her of how he was trying to weigh the options the best he could.

“Yes, I would,” she said as a bright smile rose to her face, replacing the confused frown that had previously decorated it. “Thea isn’t looking to make enemies, and as an isolated nation it faces very little confrontation from other countries as we don’t share a border with anyone. And additionally, we’re self-sustained, freeing us from having to negotiate trade deals. But it doesn’t mean that we wouldn’t take interest in the outside world, if anything we enjoy exploring other cultures and customs, not wanting to bend them to our will and thus reducing diversity. Ah, but now I’m drifting from the subject.” An apologetic frown settled on her complexion once more as her eyes fell to the side. A faint smile tugged at his lips behind his hands as he gravitated towards a decision.

“Please,” he gestured towards the chair, imploring her to sit back down.

Solara glanced behind her, before doing as she was asked, crossing her ankles once more as she took a seat. “I hope that you don’t take personal offense from this, but as a captain and a member of the royal family, I need to consider my options well before making decisions such as these.” He paused, his eyes fixing on her as he waited for her to reply.

“I don’t,” she smiled. “We share the burden of carrying an insignia,” her fingers finding their way to her necklace, depicting her family crest that she had started wearing over her clothes.

Countless questions started turning in his head, making him wish to know more, but finding it as no surprise that she was of noble birth as well. But for now, he needed to direct his thoughts back to the topic at hand, trusting that chances to converse would present itself. Thus, he only nodded to her statement. “There is no law against joining while being of foreign birth, but as it’s been indicated that you have means to get back to your home country and no need to seek permanent residence here, it creates complications. I’m willing to take into account that the threat of an altercation between Thea and Clover Kingdom is currently nearly non-existent, and that you haven’t displayed any ill attention towards myself or the people of this kingdom.” He paused as if battling with two emotions in his chest.

“Don’t extend yourself,” she implored as she tilted her head, giving him a reassuring smile. He gazed to her and closed his eyes with a sigh. Had she had to guess, she would say that he decided there and then. “You don’t need to decide today,” she continued in an effort to alleviate the difficulty of his choice. _And I want you to make the right choice._

He opened his eyes, staring into the depths of his desk as his hand landed onto the form laid between them. “I wish that I will not regret this later on,” he stated, his tone firm, nearly commanding as he pushed the document back to her. His gaze lifted to her, but was laced with a hint of hesitation.

Her lips parted and her eyes widened as she had not expected for him to trust her this much, despite the fact that she had already seen things not meant for her eyes. Their gazes stayed locked for a moment before her expression melted and surprise faded from her. “Then I shall see that you won’t, or else I’ll consider it as a stain on my honour as well,” she smiled, unable to resist the temptation that threw reason out of the window and placed her hand on the opposite side of the document, pulling it closer to herself.

A trace of relief passed over him with her action before he shifted his gaze away just enough to supply her with writing utensils, a prominent smile decorating his lips once more. Solara felt the action tugging her heartstrings, feeling the small flutter of the flame of hope deep within her chest, but not daring to kindle it in fear of asking too much. Fearing to only find herself being shot down onto the cold, harsh ground and have her unrequited feelings coat the surface of the earth, not even seeping into the soil under her. _No, it can be. That smile doesn’t mean anything more than what it is. -But how can you know? - I just do, okay, don’t desire what you can’t have. -Ah, but one cannot know unless one asks. - *Sigh* Am I really arguing over myself for this? I am, but he won’t. I’m certain that he wouldn’t._ Solara’s inner dialogue coming to a halt as she started reading through the form, seeing no mention of a nationality and concluding that it must have been seen to be given. Thus, what was taking place, was more than bending the rules as there was no attempt to rectify the assumption.

He turned the ink bottle towards her and held out a pen for her to take. Solara lowered the form down, her gaze shifting to the pen for a brief moment before she looked him in the eye. “Are you certain,” she asked, her tone hushed and careful as if they were about to share a secret, wanting to make sure that he too was sure. “I mean, you’ll become my superior with this. You’ll be accountable for me. So, are you- are you certain?” She repeated, burying the secret deeper and deeper with each syllable, as if it’d make them the only ones who knew.

“Yes,” he whispered, still holding the pen out to her and giving her a gentle smile, laced with hope that pushed aside the sadness and sorrow. Her fingers took a hold of the pen and they nodded to each other as the skin of her hand brushed against his flames, the sensation was soft and caressing as if he was imploring her to keep her hand in his.

Her eyes reluctantly fell from his onto the paper as she started filling it in, a smile rising to her lips little by little, despite the worry that she had previously felt. The worry that she should feel, but which was cast away by the scratching of the ink pen against the smooth surface of the paper. _Or else I shall consider it as a stain on my honour as well._ The thought passing through her, but failing to tangle itself fully into her thoughts. Because, the thing that held her in its grasp at that moment was desire. Desire on levels beyond the simple carnal yearning, outstretching into her very soul. And with its quiet pleas, it silenced reason and instead pulled her in, under the soft surface. Giving her a glimpse of hope of what she wished for, even if for a beautifully brief passing moment that would end up with her laying on the ground, her fingers sinking into the rust-coloured earth underneath her that smelled like iron. Tears first streaming down her face, and then, once she had run out of them, weeping out the golden threads. Even that would’ve been sweeter than having none of it at all, not even a drop of it. Even if it all felt like a secret. Something to be hidden and forbidden, perhaps even adding to its allure. _Ridiculous_ , she thought. _He wouldn’t fancy me, but… But if for a moment... he did._

The scratching of the pen ceased as she placed the tip on the dotted line, eyes taking one final waltz over the text. Air hanging heavy in the room, gathering over them even from the farthest corners of the room with each second that ticked by. And for a moment, time stopped in the room, shutting out everything else and leaving only them.

A single thought pierced through his static state. A quiet thought that was caused by the uproar in his chest as he couldn’t help but stare at the tip of the pen, stationary, unyielding and ruthless. At that moment, he hated that pen. Because of what it represented to him, what it meant to him. For it was something that would give her a reason to stay in his mind, despite the reason being somewhere else than under the intricately crafted text in reality. _Please_ , he implored, silently, and only in his thoughts.

As her hand started moving again, the pen leaving her name onto the document, weight dropped down from his shoulders and crashed onto the floor, restarting time again. _Thank you_ , he thought, trying to hide his relief under a courteous smile and a nod as she lifted her gaze to him.

“There,” she stated with soft syllables as she handed the paper and pen back to him, her smile nearly as radiant as her eyes. The specks of gold glittering as the rays of sunlight hit them, making him swallow.

“Thank you,” he stated, this time out loud as he tore his gaze from her eyes, instead turning to inspect the file in his hand. _How are you here? With me. Joining my squad. It seems impossible. I just cannot understand it. Are you here just to torment me with something I can never have? Or perhaps I never woke up from my slumber and this is death. But if it is… I don’t think I want to wake up._ He fell in thought as he was enveloped by the softness of the light cascading into the room and the subtle glow or her mana.

“Sir?” She asked with an apprehensive smile.

“Hm?” He lifted his gaze to her, waking from his daydream.

“Is there something wrong? A misspelling perhaps?” She inquired, giving a slight nod at the paper.

His eyes fell back on the paper for a moment, making a quick scan before turning back to her. “No, I can’t seem to find one. Why do you ask?”

“Oh, um… I, this might be quite rude of me, but I felt that you inspected the information I gave for quite a few minutes.” An apology veiled her expression as she smiled, her head tilting slightly and eyes falling to the side.

“Oh?” He uttered, surprised by the statement more than anything. “No, no… It,” he began, but cleared his throat in the middle of his statement. “It looks good,” he admitted before taking the pen and placing his signature right under hers, finalizing it. A faint smile tugged his lips up as he looked at their names, side by side. The ink nearly mixing together. Nearly, but not quite.

“So, what would you like to ask?” She inquired, settling into the chair a bit more comfortably as he filed the contract away.

“Hmm… Well suppose I could start with clearing up if I have made the correct interpretation and you are of noble birth?” He asked, eyes landing onto her once more, gaze soft and adoring.

“You’re indeed correct,” she chuckled. “I am the first-born daughter, and child, to Lady Celeste and Lord Arcturus Equinox of the noble House of Equinox, which has worked as the right hand to the Royal House of Anima. There being only one royal house in Thea and eight noble houses, unlike here.” She said with a smile, letting a brief silence settle into the room as Fuegoleon tried to think of another question to ask her, only coming up with irrelevant and personal ones.

“Is that all you wished to know about me?” She asked, letting out a small laugh and making his smile widen.

“No,” shook his head. “But I believe I already know the answer to most of the questions I ask during these sessions.”

“Forgive me Sir, but that does imply that the origins of my birth would indeed be the only thing you wish to know about me at this time,” she joked, letting out a small laugh.

“I-, I suppose you’re right,” admitted with a small laugh of his own. “Then, instead of asking more questions, please allow me to thank you for looking after the squad in my absence,” his gaze fell into the depths of his desk with his statement which rose from his heart. The sincerity of his voice making Solara straighten her back and lean closer to him as her smile widened in return.

“You’re welcome, though, I don’t think my input was that grand,” she admitted. “They were doing well before my arrival, and they would have done well without me.” She paused for a moment as a small laugh escaped her and she gazed to the ceiling. “And I do need to admit that I did struggle a bit, I still do. In fact, I lost count on the number of times those law books and dictionaries of yours became my salvation,” she chuckled as her eyes fell back to him. “So, if I did well, it’s because of you.”

“I disagree. It takes someone with capabilities to work in the conditions you were under. Thus, the credit is all yours,” he smiled.

“You’re flattering me,” she smirked.

“I don’t believe I am.”

She grinned as a small pause fell between them. “I see that you don’t give up easily.”

“No, I do not,” he grinned back.

“An admirable quality.”

“Thank you.”

They gazed into each other’s eyes, not saying a word. Basking in the warmth of their shared smile as the minutes that ticked away felt like seconds.

“I’m keeping you from your work,” she noted, her tone caressing his ears.

“Hmm…” he hummed, unable to disagree with her statement.

“Suppose I should leave before I inflict bad influence onto you,” she joked, but stood up regardless while he only chuckled as a reply. “Oh, and by the way, Sir?”

“Hm?”

“I haven’t been seeing you at breakfast. Is there a particular reason for it?” She asked while picking up her still folded cape from his desk.

“I usually wake up considerably earlier than the rest of the squad, which translates to my schedule on that front as well,” he explained, observing her as she placed the cape back onto her shoulders.

“I do wish that you would join us,” she admitted glancing at him for a moment. “Have a wonderful rest of the day,” she wished him with a nod.

“Likewise,” he wished back, nodding in return.

His eyes turned back to the files on his desk as she turned to leave. But as she was making her way out, she gave him one last glance from the corner of her eye, seeing the ever-present smile that seemed to be imprinted onto his lips. _He must indeed be having a good day,_ she thought as she closed the door.

\---

Meanwhile, dinner was served to a family of five, who all sat down together around the table for the first time in weeks. Not a speck of dust anywhere to be seen, the table clear enough to see one’s own reflection, and the flutter or flow of mana non-existent.

“[Good day mother. Good day father. Good day Reliquira and Tener.]” One of them greeted as he sat down, being the last to do so and receiving greeting in return.

“[Good to see you,]” The Lady at the table continued. “[I see you’ve been working hard lately. Has anything particularly interesting surfaced?]” She inquired with a monotone voice, gazing at the younger man across the table.

“[Unfortunately, I am still trying to get around the issue with incorporating Category 3 mana receptors into the filtrate system]”, he admitted, eyes staring into the depths of his glass.

“[Ah, yes. Category 3 and all those above it have always been troublesome on that front. Are you thinking of requesting aid from the House of Equinox?]” She inquired, her gaze naturally shifting around.

“[It is strange hearing you suggest us requesting help from mayus, mother.]” He replied, pausing for a moment. “[But I am not opposed the idea,]” he thought out loud.

“[Wonderful. I’ll make arrangements with Celeste-]”

“[Lady Celeste?]” He asked, interrupting his mother as he gazed at her with a raised eyebrow.

“[Ah. That’s right. You are not informed.]” She stated as she glanced back at her son, unphased, while he remained silent and waited for her to continue. “[The Celestial Twins are yet to return.]” The title that began as a friendly joke rolled from her tongue with a chuckle.

“[Hm? Why is that? Did something noteworthy surface?]” He inquired; his eyebrow still raised as he gazed to his mother without blinking.

“[I suppose one could say that.]” She smirked absentmindedly.

“[You’re speaking in riddles, mother. Perhaps we should make a doctor’s appointment for you.]” He suggested after shrugging to her statement.

“[You mock me, Valereon. I would appreciate if you didn’t.] She stated, her tone lowering from the amused one it had been. “[But I suppose I had it coming,]” her tone and the passing stern expression melting into a soft smile. “[And I am only speaking in riddles, because I’m not quite sure what to make of it. As the latest report that arrived was… hm….]”

“[Well?]”

“[If I had to guess, I would say that the eldest has, as you would say, temporary neurochemical imbalance in the cerebral neural circuits.]” She remarked, staring to the depths of her wine glass.

Had it not been for the silverware scraping against the plates as the other family members ate, listening to the conversation, silence would have fallen into the room. His eyes fixed to his mother, thoughts coursing through his mind. “[It will pass.]” He simply stated, as a quiet giggle was heard from next to him, he turned his gaze. “[Does something amuse you, Reliquira?]”

“[You forget that such temporary state has burdened our parents for four decades already, isn’t that right, mother? Father?]” She smirked while looking at their parents, who only nodded in unison.

“[Living beings are no machines Valereon. You may wish that we were. You may wish that we could be freed from the confines of our own emotions, but it cannot be achieved fully. Nor should it.]” The mother reminded.

“[I am aware of that. I am merely pointing out that it would be… less troublesome, not to have them.]” He stated, his tone full of ponder.

“[It would,]” the mother agreed. “[But then you couldn’t feel pride for your own work either.]” She noted.

Valereon nodded, and continued after a small pause. “[And I have been noted that my emotions give my life meaning by making it feel worth living.]”

“[Hmm?]” The mother hummed, intrigued. “[And?]”

“[And. After some consideration, I have concluded there to be a grain of truth.]” He replied factually.

“[I see.]” She remarked, willing to leave the conversation at that. The dinner continuing just as normal, Tener and Reliquira having friendly small talk with their father, the mother quietly listening to the conversation.

Valereon patted his mouth with his napkin before turning his attention back to their mother with another question. “[Where are they currently?] He asked, referring to the previous topic.

Her gaze shifted back to her eldest. “[Lidre Curiosi has the precises coordinates, but it seems to be a nation calling itself as ‘Clover Kingdom’. Now, what interests me,]” she paused, placing her utensils down. “[Is why you wish to know that?]”

“[A field test.] He replied after a moment of silence. His tone frank, almost hasted. 

“[A field test?]” She asked, raising her eyebrow. “[What kind of a field test?]”

“[Testing out equipment outside of controlled environment.]” He remarked rather bluntly.

“[As long as you follow protocol, I don’t see an issue with it.] She stated, making Valereon’s brows furrow in irritation, but say nothing. _You shouldn’t see an issue with it. If anything, I would be following the recommendation to familiarize myself with territories outside of Thea. And protocol? We are unable to break the protocol as the rest are. Of course I’ll follow it. I am simply stepping out for a field test and seeking assistance from a relevant party._ He thought as he stared to the depths of his plate. _Simple as that._


	10. Differences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter Solara and Fuegoleon end up discussing some of the differences they and their countries have, deepening their bond all the while still thinking too hard about their relationship. Meanwhile Mereo is being her observants self, and chooses to do what siblings do best.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!   
> Once more, thank you for reading this far; and a special thanx to those of you who've shown interest in the comment section ^_^

Dinner was served at the Crimson Lion Kings’ headquarters, friendly chatter filling the air along with the clattering of silverware as the Lion King sat at the end of the table and watched his squad. They all had had it rough lately, nor were they out of the woods just yet, but there was hope. And as he sat there, he felt proud of each and every one of them. They all had worked so hard lately, grown so much stronger and still had potential to grow even more.

He let his gaze wander free for a moment, but found it settling on one person, time after time, after time again. A smile tugged his lips up as his gaze cascaded over her, admired her. Every now and then he was forced to tear his gaze away as, after all, it was rude to stare. Even if it wasn’t out of judgement, but of near worship. Being allowed to loot at her hands handling the utensils with care, lifting the glass onto her soft lips. Her hair that framed her face and the eyes that shined like jewels. Her voice that caressed his ears, the soft tune of her chuckle and laugh.

 _Could I…?_ He scoffed to himself internally. _She did give an impression of being interested, but is it possible that my impression is wrong. She didn’t play victim, flutter her lashes or go out of her way to flatter me. She did none of those things I’ve seen women do at social events while displaying interest. She did give me a compliment, yes, but it was appropriate to the conversation. But it was pleasant. Our exchange. But what if she went along just for my sake? Though she agreed to stay. It-, it can’t be just for my sake. Now can it? No. It doesn’t seem likely. She said that she wished to help, and she mentioned that her people take interest in other nations. They’re, curious. That must be it. She wished to stay for those reasons. But what if… for a moment, it had been because of me?_ He thought, his gaze tender and a smile making his lips curve. But he was so lost in thought that he failed to notice the pair of blue eyes that were observant. Eyes that saw his gaze and his smile. Eyes that saw past it all.

 _Dimwit._ The owner of those eyes thought. _Bet you’re thinking too hard about it. Not that she’s any better._ The gaze turning to Solara. _What’s up with you? I know you like him. So, are you just going to wait around for *him* to make a move?_ She sighed. _You’ll be an old lady by the time that happens at this rate._ Her eyes turning back to her brother. _But it’s fun to watch,_ she smirked.

\---

“Hey,” Mereo called out after dinner, making Solara turn around before heading out of the dining hall.

“Hm?” She uttered, looking at Mereo expectantly.

“You owe me a night out,” Mereo grinned, crossing her arms.

“You’re right,” Solara chuckled after a pause as she remembered that she indeed had promised to go out for drinks with Mereo. “And we can have a girl’s night out, but not tonight unfortunately. I have things to complete if we’re going through with that training of yours.” She apologized her brows furrowed slightly. “What kind of training is it anyhow?” She asked as her expression faded into one of wonder.

“You’ll see,” Mereo grinned. “But do take a towel.”

“A towel?” Solara asked, but Mereo was already on her way with that toothy grin of hers. _What are you planning?_ Solara wondered, but shrugged it off. After all, she’d find out tomorrow.

\---

A new day dawned and everybody was gathered at the courtyard ready to head out. Solara’s gaze looking around for Mereo, but not landing on her, making Solara slightly suspicious. _Hmm… Wonder where is she? She was supposed to take part as well, but-_

“Solara aneue!”

“Hm?” Solara uttered as she was woken from her thought. As she turned around, she saw Leo waving to her, a broom in his other hand as he walked over to her. “Oh, Leo,” she continued. “Have you seen Mereo by any chance?” She asked, making the young lion’s brows furrow in confusion.

“Aneue? Ah, she went to get Asta and Noelle for training too!” Leo explained, full of vigor.

“Asta and Noelle?” Solara inquired, confusion painting over her complexion in return.

“Yeah, they’re my friends from the Black Bulls. Or actually, Asta is my rival. But I’m going to be the Wizard King before he does!” He proclaimed full of excitement. “Which is why I need to become much, much stronger through today’s training,” he stated, clenching his fist.

“I’m sure you’ll improve, but don’t push yourself too hard,” Solara smiled, having received answers, but not a full explanation to Mereo’s behaviour.

“By the way, where’s your broom?” Leo asked, his gaze running up and down Solara’s form.

“Broom?”

“Yeah,” Leo uttered, but soon the tone of his voice switched back to one of excitement. “Oh, or are you going to fly by your own means all the way there?!”

“Is- is that not the norm?” She asked with a slightly apologetic gaze. Surely, he had seen her fly through smaller distances with her mana alone, and as he hadn’t questioned it, Solara had been led to believe that it wasn’t out of the ordinary for those well versed in magic.

“No, it is not.”

Solara turned her head to see Fuegoleon walking towards the two. “Good day, Sir,” she greeted with a smile, making one appear on his lips as well.

“Good day,” he replied. “But to answer the question. Most do use brooms, or alike, to fly as it does consume a fair amount of mana for those whose mana type is not suited for such. And I take it that solar magic isn’t included among those best suited, thus I need to ask you to not exhaust yourself before training.” His tone became stern, nearly commanding after his greeting.

“I’ll be alright Sir,” she tried, smiling to him.

 _I’m sure that you would be. But I don’t want you exhausting yourself._ He thought to himself. “It would be best for you to save your stamina. If flying with a broom is an unfamiliar form of transportation you may fly with me,” he stated as a shadow of a hopeful smile rose to his lips.

 _He… he wants me to fly with him? Do I seem weak to him? Or is this just him reflecting onto the rate at which people usually exhaust themselves here? Is he taking pity on me?_ Solara frowned, unsure of what to think.

 _I-, did I say something? What did I say?_ He wondered.

“To save stamina?” She cleared up; her brows still furrowed.

“Yes.” He simply stated. _And we could… converse, if you’d do me the honour._

 _I think he’s taking pity on me. No, no… He-, he doesn’t seem like the type. He’s compassionate, but- Okay, maybe it’s pity. But he’s my superior here, so I should take on his offer and suggestion._ She battled the urge to sigh. “That is very courteous of you Sir,” she stated. But her answer lacked the usual warmth that radiated through her statement, and her expression wasn’t decorated with a smile, making his heart clench.

 _I said something._ He thought.

Leo blinked in confusion as he watched the interaction go down, but shrugged it off. “That’s great! Now you can train with the rest of us and grow stronger too!” Leo stated, seeing no downsides to the matter.

Solara forced a smile as she replied to Leo: “yes.”

 _But we can talk about it on the way,_ Fuegoleon thought as he summoned Salamander by his side. The gnarling beast flaming; its reptilian eyes looking around and its sharp teeth visible as it stood next to him, its gaze shifting around, as if examining them. “Don’t be frightened,” he spoke with a hushed tone, loud enough for only the two to hear, but directing his statement to Solara with a reassuring smile.

“Who said that I am afraid?” She asked, giving him a defiant glance as she extended her hand towards Salamander. _Yes, Salamander is one of the Great Elemental Spirits, and a fearsome opponent surely. But it won’t attack without a reason. It is not a mindless beast, none of its kind are._ Salamander lowered his head towards her hand, its hot breath gliding over her skin as she turned her attention towards it. “[Hello friend. Could I pet you? You seem like a really friendly fellow,]” she spoke to it, her tone calm and soft; her faze fixed in the space between her hand and its snout as to not challenge it.

Salamander let out a puff, which was followed by a few sniffs as it thought. Its head retracted a little as another huff left it, before pushing its head closer with a soft growl. Gaze moving around, thinking and wondering, almost as if to ask: “who are you?”

“[No? No, pets yet? I know you’re a proud member of your kin, so maybe not yet,]” she continued with that same tone as she tilted her head and her lips curved into a soft smile. Her gaze lifting slightly up, trying if it was alright to look it in the eye.

There was another small puff from Salamander as it glanced Solara, their gazes met as they stood, silently, just watching each other. The courtyard was quiet, almost as if everyone was holding their breath. But the silence that stood still was broken by something none saw coming.

Salamander pressed its snout against Solara’s hand, rubbing its head against her skin with another soft and melodic growl.

“[Well hello there,]” she chuckled. “[I didn’t know you could purr like that.] She said with the same gentle amusement falling from her lips as she scratched its head with her other hand, making it press its neck against her with a rubbing motion. “[Hey, if you do that, you’re going to knock me over,]” she laughed, but it didn’t phase Salamander, who continued pressing itself against her while the rest of the squad just watched, in confusion.

Salamander kept growling with the same tender sound, until it nudged against her, toppling her over with a thump. And as it had done so, it looked at her, tilting its head, almost as if to ask: “what? Was that it?” before laying down, rubbing its head against her once more; one of its legs casually settling over her.

“[I like you too,]” Solara laughed as she laid on the ground. “[But please don’t crush me.”] She chuckled, out of breath as Salamander was resting its head on top of her chest. “Aright, I’m having trouble breathing,” she admitted with a small huff.

“Salamander, that’s enough!” Fuegoleon commanded, as a stern expression replaced his look of utter confusion. _How…? Salamander is rubbing its head against her…? As if… nuzzling against her? I just-_ He cleared his throat as he felt a faint warmth rising to his cheeks, while Salamander only raised its head to look at Fuegoleon. “Now, get off of her,” he stated with a firm voice, to which Salamander replied with a puff and a tilt of a head.

“Come on,” Solara encouraged it while trying to get up from under it, which only made Salamander turn its head to her and let out another, louder puff. “I know, I’m being unfair.”

Another puff.

“But I promise you more scratches in the future,” she assured, giving it a slight smile.

Salamander looked at her for a while, unphased and unmoving, seeming to be contemplating.

“Salamander. Now,” Fuegoleon commanded once more, taking a few steps closer with determination, which finally made Salamander shake its head and get up with a huff and another growl. “Unbelievable,” Fuegoleon muttered under his breath as he extended his hand out to Solara.

Solara’s smile settled slightly as she her gaze shifted from his hand to his eyes. _Okay, now I’m just being unfair. He’s just trying to be helpful._ She scolded herself as she placed her hand onto his; the flames of his hand caressing her skin soft as silk while helping her back up onto her feet.

He apologized to her before giving out a command to his squad, telling them to move out. All the while Solara flew onto Salamanders back and gave it a few scratches as promised; sitting with her legs slanted and ankles crossed. Soon enough he followed her, settling behind her. His movements careful and hesitant. “Please, hold on. The take off will most likely be rough,” he stated while clearing his throat. His tone was no longer demanding, but pleading.

 _Hmmm…? First, you’re showing me pity and now you’re talking with that tone? Did you realize that I saw it as you showing me pity? And now you want me to cling to you like the ‘weak woman that I am’? Is that it?_ She glanced at him with a stern expression. “Thank you for your concern. But I will be just fine.” She stated while manifesting her mana skin.

He nodded to her as a reply before commanding Salamander to take off. _She’s still mad. We really should discuss the issue. It would help if I knew what was wrong. But is it alright to ask what’s wrong? Mereo has never responded well to being asked that. But… she’s not Mereo. She thinks… with her head rather than her fists…_

Silence hung in the air for a fair while as they flew forward, Solara scratching Salamander with a slight movement throughout the entire time. Only the sound of wind and the somewhat distant chatter of the squad filling the air.

“Lady Equinox…” her title rolled from his tongue, foreign and full of sharp corners unlike her first name.

“Hm?” She uttered, turning her head to him. _He’s- he’s addressing me with my title?_

“I realize that I upset you, and I’d like to apologize for it,” he stated; his very tone drenched in an apology, which twisted Solara’s heart. “But for future reference… could you please tell me what was it that I said? What was it that offended you?” His expression was full of worry, guilt and sorrow; all wrapped with the same tone that had made the stitches of her heart start to tear open again, but for a very different reason this time. But as much as his sincere wonder pained her, it also baffled her.

 _He… he doesn’t know?_ She thought to herself. “You… implied that I’m weak,” she replied with a confused frown.

“I did…?” He asked with a confused frown of his own, only that his was veiled with sorrow and surprise.

Solara nodded to him. “Yes. You expressed that I wouldn’t be able to fly such a distance by myself and still fend for myself.”

“But,” he began, not quite sure what to say. “I did mean it when I expressed worry over you running out of mana. Or is it that your mana pool is extensive?” He asked, his brows furrowing deeper.

Solara’s brows furrowed in return. “My… mana pool?” She paused for a while. “But mana is like a river?”

“No… it’s like a pool…” he replied, matching her confusion. “There’s a given amount of it, which you can exhaust. But with training, you can enlarge it.”

“No… mana is like a river… it flows through you, which is very difficult to exhaust as long as you match your output with the intake of your surroundings…” She continued with hesitance.

“So, you’re dependent on being in a magic rich environment?” He asked, his confusion siding.

“Hmm… Well, I wouldn’t say dependent, well to an extent yes, but a river will have water for a while even if the water supply is temporarily cut off. And places that are completely and utterly empty of mana are… rare, to say the least,” she thought out loud as her gaze rose up to the sky, her tone regaining the softness that was characteristic to it. “And… you only have a fixed amount of mana?” She inquired while her eyes fell back into his.

“In between rests yes. But if I use it sensibly, I won’t exhaust it,” he replied, factually, but with a careful smile rising to his lips. “I can assure you that it wasn’t my intent to imply you to be weak.,” he continued, that hopeful smile of his still lingering.

Solara stayed quiet for a moment before shaking her head, her gaze falling to the side. “It, um, it seems that I jumped to conclusions, and I’d like to apologize for that,” she stated, her tone quiet and delicate.

“It was a misunderstanding,” he stated with a much more prominent smile.

She turned her gaze to him with the familiar tenderness, making the last drops of uneasy tension, that had had his chest in its grasp, disappear. “Thank you,” she said. The words fluttering to him like butterfly kisses, landing onto the tip of his nose, his cheeks and his forehead.

“For what?” he asked before he even realized that the question left him.

“For understanding,” she replied, tilting her head and making him swallow.

“You’re welcome,” he said while trying to resist warmth from rising to his cheeks.

She nodded to him, before turning her head to face the front. The wind glided over her skin, but she hardly felt it as she was very much trying to hide the tint over her own cheekbones. _How could I have doubted him…?_

“Is Thea very different from Clover Kingdom?” He asked, seemingly out of the blue, making her turn her gaze back to him.

“Hmm…” she uttered as she began, her gaze directing upwards as she pondered. “It is, and it isn’t. It’s like… hm… People are still people, from what I can tell, but there are differences in customs. Though that usually applies to any two countries. I suppose,” she chuckled a bit to herself. “And nature… well, I still haven’t seen… um… _red forests,_ ” she let out a small laugh. “It sounds a bit strange while translating, but I do believe that would be the appropriate one. Anyways, I haven’t seen those elsewhere. Neither _luminescent fields_ or anything like _The Tree of Binding Fates_.” She thought out loud, her gaze turning back to him. “Probably a lot more of it is different than I can think of right on the spot, but I would say that the bottom line would be that people are still people, no matter where you are.”

“Suppose they are…” he admitted, his gaze shifting to the side for a moment. “What are the ‘red forests’ like?” He asked, his tone and entire being seeming more relaxed than she could remember.

“They’re… hmm… well I suppose it’d be something you’d really have to see,” she chuckled, but then a thought struck through her. _That’s… probably what they said as well… No. He’s not like that,_ she thought, but pushed the thought aside. “But it’s this, actually an area of a forest on the west side of Thea, where all flora is red due to the combination of volcanic activity combining with the mana supplied by the Ley lines, resulting into… well various outcomes in terms of herbalism, but aesthetically speaking all leaves, and usually green plants, appear as red.” She explained with a smile. “Actually,” she began, her gaze falling to the side. “One of my favourite spots is there. Though it’s at its best during summer, when you can just sit under a tree and listen to the quietly flowing stream…”

A brief silence fell between them. Solara’s gaze was directed into the distance, not seeing anything but that which she saw with her mind’s eye, while Fuegoleon watched her. His gaze cascading over her as they sat there in comfortable silence.

“That sounds wonderful,” he only replied with uncontested softness.

Her smile widened with his words. “It is,” she agreed as her gaze turned to him.

They shared a smile, but felt that nothing further needed to be said. Only the golden threads were left weaving them closer and closer together, the silence only deepening their bond.

\---

They arrived to a volcano heat surrounding them all, making them all cast their mana skins as they travelled to an entrance of a dungeon. Solara felt mana coursing through her, and she let it flow past her, unphased.

“Hmm..” Fuegoleon uttered as they walked, his gaze fixed on her.

“What?” She asked, glancing at him.

“I can’t sense a change in your mana,” he simply noted as if he was thinking out loud.

“Hm?” She paused for a moment, trying to grasp what he meant. “Ah, that’s because I’m not interacting with the mana around. I’m simply letting it flow through. It’s like… hm… It’s a bit difficult to explain, but if you let a stream of water run its natural course, it can be difficult to notice if the current becomes stronger. But it you try to affect the way the water is flowing, then the strength of current will have an effect on the results, right? I know that’s not the best possible explanation, but-“ she stopped, not knowing how to continue her explanation. “Am I making any sense?” she asked a hesitant chuckle.

“You are,” he replied with a smile; neither of them noticing Mereo observing the interaction.

 _Hmmm… Those two are at it again. I wonder what happened meanwhile I was away._ She thought with a faint smirk.

\---

The task, was simple. Go into the dungeon and try to find and gather magical items that might serve the kingdom; the squad being divided into pairs for the purposes of the task. Mereo taking charge, even if she wasn’t a captain anymore.

 _For someone who doesn’t want to be a captain, she sure is taking charge quite a lot_ , Solara chuckled to herself under her breath while watching Mereo give out the orders. Her gaze occasionally shifting to Fuegoleon’s displeased expression from the corner of her eye. _She’s stepping on your toes, I know. It’s an unfortunate trait that us older sisters have,_ she thought before shifting her attention back to Mereo.

After receiving their orders, the squad started heading deeper into the caverns, separating gradually as new paths emerged until Mereo and Solara were alone. The glow of their mana lighting the way, but even if they kept going further and further in, very little changed, the same uneven stone walls continuing. And as their surroundings offered nothing interesting, both of their gazes shifted around as they chatted, talking about nothing in particular. Until Mereo noticed Solara’s pendant dangling amidst her hair, rather than in the front where it should’ve been. It was only a small thing, but it was out of place.

“Your pendant is hanging the wrong way,” Mereo noted, making Solara glance at her.

“Ah, it probably wound up there when Salamander nuzzled against me,” she thought out loud as she started fumbling with the piece of jewellery.

“When Salamander nuzzled against you?” Mereo repeated, raising an eyebrow.

“Hm? Ah, yes. I was today officially introduced to Salamander and it ended up knocking me down onto the ground and rubbing its head against me.” She stated while looking at Mereo, who stayed silent for a moment before erupting into laughter.

“Was this before or after my fool of a brother did the same?” Mereo chuckled, grinning at Solara.

“Neither,” Solara replied while a faint blush rose to her cheeks, gaze turning away from Mereo. “We were in the courtyard, about to leave, and I gave Salamander some scratches, and… It seemed to be pleased.”

“Bet Fuego looked like he wanted to be Salamander at that moment,” Mereo teased.

“Oh, Mereo stop it. He-, it’s not like that,” Solara retorted, but failing to sound convincing.

“Mhm,” Mereo only replied, clearly amused and unconvinced. _You keep telling yourself that_ , Mereo chuckled to herself as they continued forward, dropping the subject. For now. Since she now had something much more fun to work with, which almost made up for them coming out empty handed from the dungeon crawl. The only ones having found anything being Leo and Randal, but even that having been destroyed as a result of the battle. _“Unbelievable…”_ being the only thought that ran through Mereo’s mind after giving all of the parties in question a piece of her mind. _Well, at least I can have a bit of fun before dipping into the hot springs…_

Mereo walked over to Fuegoleon, her lips decorated with a smirk as her train of thought shifted from magical items into something very different. _He’ll never get anywhere at this rate, neither of them will. I wonder if they’ve even yet admitted their feelings to themselves. What a couple of fools._ She thought, feeling more amused than anything else.

“Did everything go smoothly this morning while I wasn’t watching after you?” Mereo asked with a stern voice as she crossed her arms.

“Yes. Nothing worth mentioning took place,” he replied factually. “I have been running the squad for years, so your presence isn’t required at all times,” he noted with mild irritation.

“Mhm,” Mereo uttered, clearly unimpressed.

“Why do you ask?” He inquired while raising an eyebrow.

“I just heard that Salamander got more action today than you’ve gotten in your life,” Mereo stated with an amused scoff. 

Fuegoleon grit his teeth with frown as he felt warmth rising to his cheeks at the unexpected statement. “I am… selective…”

“Oh? And you think Salamander isn’t?” Mereo teased with a grin.

“That is not what I said.”

“What is it that you’re saying then? That Salamander has bad taste? That you’re above her and would never be interested in her?” Mereo’s grin grew even wider as she kept pushing.

Fuegoleon stayed silent, gritting his teeth and furrowing his brow. _No. That’s not what I’m saying. I’d never think so. Why is she pressuring me about this anyways? …. Suppose it doesn’t matter. She’ll get bored with it eventually._ He thought and stayed silent.

“Ah, so that’s it,” Mereo stated with a wave of her hand. _You’re too proud for your own good._ She thought while trying to hide her smirk. “Suppose I’ll just go tell that to her then…” She said while turning around to leave, but was grabbed by her arm by Fuegoleon in a blink of an eye.

“Tell her what?” He asked; hesitance seeping from his tone.

“That you don’t like her. Maybe mention that you’re selective… and that she doesn’t fall within your type,” Mereo grinned to him, looking over her shoulder.

“Why? Did-,” he paused to clear his throat. “Did she ask about me?” He inquired with a hint of hope in his tone.

“Why would she?” Mereo replied his question with a question of her own, one that she knew he couldn’t reply. And with that she tugged her arm free from his grasp, leaving him standing still as she directed her gaze to Solara. “Hey Solara, let’s go take a bath!” She called out, making the strawberry blonde woman turn her green eyes to Mereo.

 _Please… Don’t say that to her… please… Sister… If you ever cared about me, you don’t say that to her. Please… I-, I just- Please…_ He pleaded in his mind, praying a silent prayer to whatever fate that might listen to him; his begs and the tears that his heart shed inside of his chest. _Don’t take her from me… I just don’t know how to tell her yet. It needs to be done right. And… even then she might not accept. I know that much. But… please… don’t take her from me before I’ve had a chance to try._ His lips quivered as his hands curled into fists as he watched them walk away. _Please… I just want to do it right…_


	11. Misunderstandings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yet another chapter of Embers. This time we’re clearing up some confusions that rose the last time; or at least attempting to do so. Emotional turmoil can do a lot to a person, muddling their train of thought, so I do hope that my internal monologue is coherent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!   
> As always, thank you for reading this far! I know that I've only been spilling things about Thea little by little and that the story in itself isn't the most complex one out there (to say the least). So, am I still keeping y'all interested, are there questions, etc? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Solara leaned back in the hot spring, vaguely listening to Mereo talk with Noelle about her mother; not being able to participate into the conversation. Hot water enveloping her body as tension seeped into it, away from her muscles. The steady chatter of the two others filling the air, slightly bouncing off the walls of the cavern.

 _This was a good idea… Can’t remember the last time I felt this relaxed._ She took in a deep breath and sank deeper into the water soft water. _Wonder why he seemed so worried? The look on his face right before heading to bath. Hmm… Suppose I could ask Mereo, but would I seem too obvious if I did? But then again, would it matter if I did seem obvious? We’re all adults and… And. And what?_ She sighed; her gaze turning to the other two from the corner of her eye. _Suppose it doesn’t matter._

They continued soaking for a while, sweat dripping down their skins; the youngest of them doing so the most. And it didn’t take long for Noelle to get out, leaving Mereo and Solara alone into a comfortable silence. Mereo basking wholeheartedly, bathing in a hot spring seeming to be a second nature to her.

“Hey, Mereo?”

“Hm?”

“What did you two talk about? With Fu-, I mean, with the Captain? He seemed… worried right before we left,” she asked, glancing at her friend whose lips turned into a smirk as Solara was about to address her brother with his given name.

“We talked about Salamander showing affection towards you, and I joked about it seeing more action today than he has seen in his entire life.”

Mereo’s straight up reply caught Solara off guard, her head turning fully to her with a raised eyebrow. “Oh?” She only uttered, sounding more surprised than curious.

“Mhm. And he remarked being ‘selective’,” Mereo state rather frankly, but seemingly unphased.

“Ah,” she uttered. “Well, that is a good quality to possess,” Solara continued, her gaze falling to the water ahead of her as a careful smile rose to her lips.

Mereo shrugged to her statement. “I’d call him picky.”

“Hm?” The syllable escaped her, waking her from her tender smile and gaze directed into the distance. _Oh… That- that sounds like he’d be popular among… I mean, of course he is. Why wouldn’t he be? I’m sure that he has more than enough to choose from. Most being more convenient and suitable than myself. More sensible options._ A veil of defeat covered her eyes as the last traces of the smile were pulled from her, dripping into the water. “Ah, I see. Well, I-, I’m certain that he’ll pick a suitable one for himself.” She only stated; Mereo’s head turning to her for the first time during the conversation.

 _What’s up with that tone? You’re not weak enough to give up this easily. Besides, there’s a reason why he has been this ‘selective’ throughout his life. That being nobody else being able to tolerate his uptight ass but you._ She looked at her friend, staying silent for a moment. “Mhm. I think he’s right about ready to do so,” she stated, still looking at Solara.

But she didn’t see her friends gaze as all she felt was how those words sliced open her golden stitches. _Of course… And here I was trying to convince myself otherwise… Only because I haven’t felt like this before, this kind of soul consuming longing for another person; I failed to think that he wouldn’t already have given his heart to someone._ A pained smile took over her as she lifted herself out of the bath, feeling cold despite the steaming water. “I see,” she stated, trying to make herself sound as intact as possible. “That is…fortunate.” Her gaze stayed glued onto the surface of the water, not daring to look elsewhere in fear of having her emotions drip down from the corners of her eyes. “I think I’ll go get dressed.” She spoke with a weak tone, forcing the words out of her mouth.

“You should talk to him,” Mereo encouraged; the statement much more gentle than what could be expected from her.

“I will,” Solara nodded without looking at her friend. _She must’ve seen through me… And I- I suppose I should talk to him to get closure. Yes. That way the pain will ease. Eventually._ She thought, quickly glancing at Mereo with a forced smile before getting up and turning to leave. _I should, talk to him,_ she thought, feeling shivers run down her spine.

\---

“Did my sister mention anything particular to you?” His question seeming rather frank, almost forceful as they were making their leave with the intent to return back to the base.

“It-, it depends on what you’d consider as particular, Sir,” she replied, her stomach twisting and turning. _I should ask him. But… Not here. I just- I don’t think I could contain myself if I did._

He cleared his throat at her reply. _She’s right. ‘Particular’ is a very vague term, but in case Mereo didn’t say anything..._ “Did perhaps the earlier events of today surface?” He asked.

“Yes, yes they did, Sir. I did not realize that it was a topic in need of reporting back to you.” She forced the words out of her mouth, each tumbling out full of needles.

“It- it isn’t,” he stated in return. _So, she did mention about it. And your tone… your tone is again so distant… Don’t tell me…_ “Did she perhaps comment anything afterwards?” He asked, his heart thumping against his ribcage.

“Forgive me Sir, but it’s not my intent to share each conversation I have with your sister as she is my friend, and we do confide in each other,” she began, her gaze falling to the side. “But as it did involve you…”

_Oh no… Did aneue-, why? Why did you tell her that? Now she’ll think that I look down on her and she’ll leave… She has no reason to stay if she doesn’t feel valued._

“She mentioned about you being selective; more specifically, it was implied that … you’re especially selective when it comes to your personal life,” she admitted, not daring to look him in the eye.

 _I-… How can I make you stay? Please don’t think that I think little of you,_ he thought as his heart sank to the pit of his stomach. “My Lady…” he began, trying to choose his words as carefully as possible. “I do value your presence here, and it would do me a great honour if you continued to stay-“

“Oh, it’s- it’s not my intention to leave. Not yet at least,” she replied hastily, speaking on top of him.

“It- it isn’t?” He asked, unable to hide his surprise. But she failed to see the full extent of it, as her gaze still wasn’t on him.

“No, no. I don’t see why learning such a thing should make me wish to leave any sooner,” she lied. _You’re right. I do want to leave, but… I-, I need to come into terms with this before I leave, or else I’ll just carry it with me for gods know how long._

 _She… she didn’t… I see. It was wrong of me to hope that she harboured such feelings for me._ “That is… good to hear,” he stated, unable to say anything else. _Suppose that… it’s good that it surfaced now. But I- I still hope that… But what if she has someone back home? Though, in that case wouldn’t she wish to return as soon as possible? Or perhaps she does, but her sense of responsibility keeps her here. Could she do that? Stay away from her beloved like this? … Of course. She’s strong and-, I see no reason why she wouldn’t already have someone in her life. I just-, I just wish that it was me. Such a selfish thought…_ His mind raced; him being so caught up with his own thoughts that he didn’t fully register her next statement.

“I wish the two of you all the best,” she spoke with broken and hushed words, but meaning them all the same. _You deserve to be happy…_

He only hummed as a reply, not grasping her words.

She nodded to him, not saying anything further as she turned to leave. He woke from his thoughts as he saw her steps starting to carry her away, taking her away from him. But all he could do was watch, just watch as he felt his heart, now laying at the pit of his stomach, cracking into pieces. The shards pricking and piercing inside of him, leaving him colder than he could ever remember feeling. _I just wish that it was me…_

\---

They did not exchange even one word for the rest of the day, confining themselves away from the rest. Hiding it under urgent matters and the feeling of fatigue. Wearing painted smiles for all the world to see, but feeling far from doing so. Carrying on, as there was still so much to do. So much to worry. So much of… everything.

And despite wishing to ask about the one his heart had chosen, with each day Solara felt her hesitation grow. There was no reason to ask. It was ridiculous and wouldn’t do any good. Only reveal her longing that would be futile, as he was not hers.

And with each passing day, he felt his desperation grow. Wishing to know more. Wishing to know if she already had someone as he held on to the faintest threads of hope that there was still a chance. No matter how distant and absurd he reasoned it to be. But, the heart wants, what the heart wants. He knew as much, and all the reasoning in the world couldn’t undo that. He felt that he had no right to want her, especially as he did not know if she was taken, but… he did. He wanted nothing more than to pull her closer into his embrace and to press his head against her chest as she hummed that tune that had echoed around the halls. The tune, which she had not uttered since the volcano training, but which he remembered.

The waltz of trying to go around one another, while still wishing nothing more than to be together, going on for a few days; until Mereo got sick of watching the two previously, irritatingly smiley expressions now having turned into a couple of marble masks, cracked by the sheer weight of their unspoken emotions. _So, she didn’t talk to him about it,_ she only concluded before marching to Solara on one afternoon, not bothering to knock her door before entering as her mana was prominent; telling that she was in her office.

“Hey, Mereo. What’s-“

“Did you talk with him?” She asked, crossing her arms and kicking the door closed.

Solara’s expression fell with the question, her gaze turning to the side. “I did.”

“And?”

“And… he assured me that he values my presence here.” She spoke with hushed words, each seeming more forced than the last.

“The hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Probably just that. And I-, I’m glad to be appreciated.”

 _What did that imbecile of a brother say?_ She thought while only uttering: “Hmm…” before turning to leave with the intention of giving Fuegoleon a visit. _What a couple of fools. Hopefully, they aren’t expecting to get away from having to speak up for themselves._

Solara sat there for a moment, puzzled by the exchange. _What was that about? She-, she does know about his love interest, right? She’s the one who mentioned it. Or, or could it have been on a general level ‘ready to pick a suitable candidate’? From what I’ve understood, some people make a conscious effort to not settle down before a certain age. Maybe… maybe that’s what she meant. But then… why did he not correct me when I wished him and his spouse all the best? … I did do that, right? I did not just think about doing so… I-_ She sighed. _I should just take a hold of myself and ask…_ With that she got up from her desk, and walked into the corridor, hearing a loud crash in the distance. _Hm?_

As she turned the corner, feeling roaring mana of two different origin that was coupled with sounds of an argument and more, loud, crashing sounds, Leo passed her. “Hey, Solara aneue!” He greeted as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

“Hey, Leo… What’s going on?” She asked her gaze rising from him, past his shoulder and towards the captain’s office.

“Hm? Oh, that. Aneue and aniue are fighting about something,” he replied, unphased.

“And… that doesn’t concern you?” She asked as an explosion was heard.

“No, not really. You’ll learn to tune out of it after a while,” he simply replied.

At that moment, Randal peeked out of his office that was nearby, glancing towards the sound of the struggle and then to the two of them. “Is-, Is the base under attack?” He asked, hesitantly, almost as if he already knew the answer.

“No, aneue and aniue are just fighting,” Leo explained.

“I see,” Randal concluded. “Then this can wait,” he continued as he held a few documents in his hand.

“I’m sure that the captain doesn’t mind if you’ll just drop off a few documents.” Solara stated, raising an eyebrow.

Randal stayed quiet for a moment before looking her in the eye and repeating: “It can wait.”

 _I see… they just don’t want to go in between the two._ She sighed and started walking forward, uttering out: “I see.” And nothing more.

“Are you sure that’s wise?” Randal asked hesitantly after her, to which Solara just waved, leaving the two standing in silence and headed towards the office.

 _What on earth are they so worked up about?_ She thought as she stopped at the door. But feeling a swirl of mana, she stepped aside, the door blowing off from its hinges and by doing so granted her entrance. _Fighting over something in this manner. Tearing the place apart. I just want answers; maybe talk about it in a nice and orderly fashion, but I can’t if-_

“You numbskull!” Mereo yelled as she punched her brother.

“What else was I supposed to say?! And how is it any of your business?!” Fuegoleon yelled back, while Solara raised an eyebrow. And sighed.

“[Gravity of the Sun,]” she spoke, feeling irritation building up inside of her as a result of all her pent-up frustration as she grounded the two in place. “What are you two even fighting about?!” She yelled, her fists clenching. _Alright, calm down… Take a deep breath,_ she thought and with that she placed one of her hands on the temples and dispelled her spell, making the two turn their heads towards her.

“That is a great question. What is it that we’re even fighting about aneue?” Fuegoleon asked, glancing at his sister.

Mereo only shrugged at him and instead looked at Solara. “I think the real question is why are you so worked up?”

Solara lifted her hand away from her face and looked at Mereo in disbelief. “What am *I* getting so worked up on?”

“Mhm.” Mereo nodded. “You have no reason to come in between a small sibling scuffle such as this.”

 _Technically speaking she’s right, since from what I’ve understood, this is still small. And a somewhat regular occurrence to the two of them…_ She scoffed at Mereo, shaking her head and pausing for a moment. “Maybe… I’m just getting homesick,” she suggested while knowing that wasn’t the truth, or at least not the whole truth. But her suggestion made Fuegoleon’s brows rise nonetheless.

_So… I was right. She has-_

“Oh? You have a sweetheart waiting for you back home?” Mereo inquired, with a smirk.

“A… sweetheart…?” Solara frowned at Mereo. “You know perfectly well that I am not in a relationship.”

 _That’s right. I know, but that bone head doesn’t._ “It wouldn’t be the first time that a relationship starts long distance,” she shrugged. “Besides, you haven’t expressed being ‘homesick’ before, so I thought something was up,” Mereo explained.

Solara raised an eyebrow at her. “How is that any relevant?” Her tone was full of tension as her confusion started subsiding and irritation started taking over once more.

“Alright, let’s calm down for a moment. How about we get some tea?” Fuegoleon suggest while stepping in front of Solara, giving her a reassuring smile.

Her gaze shot to Fuegoleon’s as her muscles tensed up; eyes piercing through him.

 _She- I think she’ll slap me… If I’m lucky,_ he thought, but stayed still. “Please?”

Silence fell between them as he waited for her reply, air and time standing still.

“Alright,” she sighed while blinking slowly, the tension leaving her body; her clenched fist unwinding.

“This way,” Fuegoleon ushered, extending his hand towards the now open doorway with a smile. _Aneue really does know her way around pushing people’s buttons…_ He thought while giving Mereo a glance over his shoulder, only to see her standing there with a smirk on her face. _Unbelievable…_

Solara started making her way out of the door, Fuegoleon right behind her. _What am I supposed to make of all this? Or should I- Maybe it doesn’t mean anything. Yeah, I’m probably thinking about it too hard,_ she thought as she started making her way towards the dining hall.

“Solara?”

“Hm?” She uttered, turning her head towards him.

“I thought that my quarters would be… more comfortable than the dining hall,” he suggested with a careful smile.

Solara stayed silent for a moment, trying to grasp his words. _His…quarters? His room…? I- No. I’m sure it’s nothing. I’m thinking too hard about all of this._ Her lips curved up into a soft smile as she replied: “That sounds splendid.” Her tone bright and clear, as if a heavy curtain had been removed from her mouth, allowing her words to again freely flutter to him. _That’s right. It’s only tea, nothing more. And there can be… hustle, in the dining hall. So, for the purposes of calming down, this is a more sensible option. And… now I’ll have a chance to… ask… What is it that I want to ask? What if-, what if he’s single and Mereo didn’t mean it like that? But then again, what if he isn’t? Would it matter either way? Suppose not…_ She thought as she started following his steps.

 _So… she’s-, she’s not taken,_ he smiled at the thought as they walked down the corridors in silence. _In that case the only question remains is if she would deem me… if she would reciprocate my feelings._ His gaze turned to her, watching her from the corner of his eyes. Her hair gently falling first onto her shoulders and the past them; flowing ever so slightly as she walked. Not like fire licking logs, slowly eating them away, but like sunlight reflecting from the surface of the water, painting the surroundings in all the more light. Her green eyes that seemed so deep, an endless forest into which it’d be easy to get lost. But in which, each time they passed a window, specks of gold glittered, as if to guide those that were lost. The problem was: he didn’t want to be found and guided. He wanted to get lost. He wanted to lose himself, even if for a moment, into those eyes as he’d get to press his lips onto her soft ones. As she bit her lip, almost as if she knew what he was thinking. He swallowed at the sight, her lips becoming decorated with a brighter hue of red.

“Sir?”

“Hm?”

“Is this not your room?” She asked after stopping in front of a door.

“…Yes, it is. Forgive me, there’s a lot on my mind,” he apologized, retracing his steps.

“That’s perfectly understandable,” she replied, the words flowing through the air to his ears.

He placed his hand on the handle, smiling as the pieces of his heart were nearly stitched back up, the racing of it making the task harder. _She’s… perfect… I know that everybody has their faults, but… How else am I supposed to-_

“Aniue!”

They both turned around to see Leo walking towards them with hasted steps.

“Leo, is something wrong?” Fuegoleon inquired; his hand still lingering on the door handle.

“We were supposed to train right? Or is there still something that you need to talk with Mereo aneue?” Leo paused for a moment, his gaze shifting between the two. “Or do you need to talk with Solara aneue?” He asked.

Fuegoleon stayed silent for a moment. _That’s right. I was supposed to finish with the latest risk assessment and head down to the training grounds…_

“No, no, I don’t believe there’s anything particular to talk about. I just… got a little bit worked up and, um, Captain Vermillion took it upon himself to have tea with me in order to calm my nerves,” Solara explained with a tender smile.

“Oh? Are you still upset?”

“…No, I am not,” she chuckled.

“Then would you like to come see me train?” He asked with excitement.

“I don’t believe it’s up to me,” she pointed out, making Leo glance expectantly at his brother.

Fuegoleon’s gaze shifted between Leo and Solara, feeling slight disappointment because of the turn of events. _I-, I suppose it’ll be alright._ “I see no harm in it,” he stated as a careful smile started tugging hi slips. Leo exclaiming in excitement and grabbing Solara’s hand, starting to pull her towards the training grounds. The sight made Fuegoleon’s heart twist. _I wish I could do that…_

\---

Leo was panting. He really was pushing himself, and he was making progress, but slowly. _He’d getting frustrated… which is only making him do more poorly,_ Solara thought. “Leo…” She began with hesitance.

“Yes, Solara aneue?” he asked with heavy breaths.

“This might seem like an odd question, but what is magic like to you?” She inquired, tilting her head.

Leo brows furrowed, as if he didn’t understand the question, nor the point of it.

“What I mean to say is that now that I’ve been watching you, it almost feels like you’re just trying to …push more mana out of you. And though I’ll stay clear of how mana regenerates for you, I don’t think that by simply trying to… push harder you’ll get the best outcome. I mean, for some people it works, but at least I was taught that it’s not recommended.” She explained, her gaze shifting to the skies for a moment, but landing on Leo at the end.

Leo looked at her for a moment, his gaze falling to the ground as he thought. He furrowed his brows, and his gaze was fixed, but no answers revealed themselves to him.

“For some it’s like a flutter,” Solara continued, manifesting a small flame in her hand, making a circular motion with her wrist. “For some it’s a roar,” she said as the previously small flame was now a scorching fire, which she quickly dispelled. “Or a flow,” she stated while manifesting her mana skin and floating across the ground around them for a moment. “And for some, it’s a glow.” The shine of her mana became more radiant with her words, creating an aura of pure sunlight around her. The specks of gold glittering even brighter in her eyes.

 _A goddess,_ Fuegoleon thought.

“Or then it’s something entirely different. Those are just the easiest for me to explain, because my magic has many of those components. But my point isn’t that you’d need to choose from those that I suggested, my point is that you should, in my opinion, also consider your magic on a more profound level. What is it like? What are your strengths? What makes your magic your own? Because all improvement is looking at what you can do now, recognising your current strength and talent, and building it up. You need to know what you have if you want to properly build it.” She explained as she let her mana skin fade, her eyes cascading over Leo.

“My strengths?” Leo asked in thought.

Solara nodded to him with a smile. “Everybody has their strengths. All you have to do is find them and ‘throw more logs into the fire’ as my father would say,” she chuckled.

“Oh, is your dad a fire mage too?” Leo asked, his attention shifting to other things.

“Hm? Oh no, no. I’m my father’s daughter and have inherited Solar magic from him. Even though his magic is more of a combination of solar and fire magic in my opinion as he’s… Well, he likes his fire spells, lets put it like that.” She let out another chuckled. “But that’s drifting from the topic.”

“It is, but I think this is enough training for the day in any case,” Fuegoleon stated, ending the training session. And with that they started heading back inside, Leo heading towards a different entrance in order to continue his other duties as Solara and Fuegoleon headed back towards the offices.

“I didn’t step on your toes, now did I?” She paused as a smirk rose to her lips. “Sir.” She added as an afterthought.

“No,” Fuegoleon smirked to himself as they walked side by side. “It’s good for him to hear multiple view points and various explanations,” he continued.

They walked in silence for a moment, only the sound of their steps around them.

“Sir...?” She hesitated; words stuck in her throat.

“Yes?” He asked, almost as if afraid of speaking over her.

“There’s an event tomorrow at the Magic Knight Headquarters… is it something I ought to attend?” She asked, her tone shifting to her usual one. _What a stupid question. Of course I should. But I just- I ought to be braver and just ask him…_

“It would be preferrable yes. Events such as these work towards unity of all squads,” he explained, gazing to her.

“You’re right,” she whispered, her gaze on the floor ahead of them. _I ought to be brave… but if he says no… it’ll hurt so much, and I just-_ She forced her train of thought to halt, her eyelids fluttered as she willed her forming tears away.

“Is something wrong?” he asked, feeling a hollowing numbing sensation spread across his chest. _Is- what’s making you feel distress?_

“Ah, it’s nothing. My eyes are just getting dry,” she said with a tight smile. _I love you… but I don’t deserve you._

“Ah, hopefully it’ll pass soon,” he replied. _That’s not true, but whatever it is… I wish I could do more. I wish I could wipe those tears away…_


	12. Field experiment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An interaction, followed by a confrontation. Sometimes things escalate very quickly, making one only wonder about it later on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heya!  
> Thax for reading this far; and I hope that I'm succeeding in keeping you interested ^_^

Birds of a feather flock together, and sadly knights were the same. Red sways with red, blue with blue, gold with gold; similia similibus solvuntur.

_But it’s understandable._

Boots travelling down the same hallways, but only the same-coloured capes brushed together.

_We spend the most time with our fellow knights of the same squad._

Together, but divided. And in their divisions, they are lost to dissolving together; not contrasted by that which is different.

_I keep forgetting. This is why these events are needed. They remind us that ‘unity’ should not be just a hollow word we repeat to ourselves and others while forgetting to practice it; relying on excuses such as ‘I spend more time with these people, thus I can trust them more’. It should remind us of it. It should remind us of the fact how much we could learn from each other; just how much stronger we could be together because of our differences… but all it does is widen the gap in between. And I am not above it. I also am guilty of it…_

They arrived to a large common room, some squads already present and chatting amongst themselves, with some heart-warming exceptions that made Solara’s lips tug up. _That boy, the devil possessing boy. I think Leo mentioned his name,_ she thought as Leo already marched towards him, calling to him.

“Asta!”

 _Ah, that was it._ She chuckled to herself. _He seems so friendly with those Golden Dawn members, as well as Leo. That’s how it ought to be._ She smiled for a moment, but then a familiar flow of mana reached her, making her gaze turn onto the other side of the room only to see a pair of familiar blue eyes, framed by platinum blonde hair, stare back at her. Those eyes, in which silver flickered just as faintly as gold flickered in her own, smiled to her as a tranquil night sky ought to smile. But, under that sky of silver stars, was a smirk. _What’s up with that smirk Selena?_ Solara thought to herself as another smile tugged her lips up.

The gaze they shared was intense enough to make Nozel, who was standing near Selena, turn around and look to her direction. His eyes glared for a moment to her, before shifting back to Selena as if to ask a question. But whatever his question might’ve been, went unanswered as her eyes didn’t meet his. Her eyebrow quirked up and a shadow of a grin veiled her lips.

 _Here? Really? And you claim to have no inclinations whatsoever to theatrics,_ Solara smirked. 

“[It is good to see you sister. Out on foreign land; unharmed.]” Selena’s voice echoed off the walls. Her grin becoming visible and her chin lifting up as her eyes still stayed locked with Solara’s without as much as a blink.

A chuckle escaped Solara, her gaze shifting from her sister momentarily. “[Sister, it brings me such joy to see your will intact; out here, far from home.]” She called out; her voice bouncing off the same walls with restrained amusement.

The room was silent around them, eyes shifting between the two, asking the same questions.

“[Moon as my travelling companion,]” Selena spoke, taking a few steps closer to Solara, eyes still locked.

“[And sun as mine,]” Solara replied, mirroring her sister and beginning to walk closer to Selena.

“[And yet, time after time,]” Selena continued, her mana beginning to swirl around her; surrounding her with a stream glowing in silver.

“[They meet; and as they do…] Solara continued, her mana beginning flutter around her; flames flickering with radiance of the sun embracing her.

And as they reached each other half way, now standing not even an arm’s length away. Silence still prevailed around them, but anticipation hanging in the air; hanging just over the heads of the onlookers but gradually lowering down onto their shoulders, making their muscles tense. Almost as if everyone was holding their breaths, not knowing what to expect, but preparing themselves to go between the two.

“[They embrace,]” they said in unison, wrapping arms around each other in a sisterly hug while wearing prominent smiles. But the entire room around them, sighed in relief, which quickly turned into wonder.

“[So, how are you doing?]” Solara asked casually as they parted from the embrace.

“[Well, y’know…]” Selena sighed. “[I would say same old… but it’s more along the lines of: same old with a twist.]”

“[Ah,]” Solara began, opening her mouth to continue, but not getting the chance to do so.

“Solara aneue?” Leo asked from the side lines.

“Hm?” Solara uttered, turning her head to him; an action which Selena followed.

“Um… Who is she?” Leo asked with bluntness and straightforwardness, which made Solara laugh; Selena’s expression settling into a much more serious one.

“Oh, I’m so sorry Leo,” Solara chuckled. “You mean the family resemblance doesn’t show?” She continued as her laughter settled down into a soft smile, while the platinum haired woman stood still, unphased.

One expression radiating warmth, an apology and a tender smile. The other wearing a porcelain mask, unmoved and distant, contrasting even the expressions that it had showed just a moment ago. Warm blond hair swaying next to cold, but in harmony nonetheless.

Leo hummed out as he thought. “Oh, you’re cousins, right? Or distant cousins?” He suggested with confidence.

“Twins,” Selena replied with a pause. “We are twins.”

“TWINS?!” Asta and Leo yelled simultaneously in surprise, but only expressing the shock of most in the room.

“Yes,” Solara began with an uncertain smile. “We’re twins, we just happen to more after only one of our parents respectively,” she explained.

“Mhm,” Selena hummed in agreement.

Silence fell into the room for a moment, until the two sisters began chatting once more while walking to the side from the centre of the room, making onlookers shrug as stranger things had happened. Surely, the revelation had been unexpected, but it didn’t move the majority of them. And thus, chatter took over the room once again.

“What was that display about?” Fuegoleon inquired as he approached the two. His tone was stern and factual; inquiring, rather than angry.

“I would also like to know that,” Nozel stated, seeming to have similar intentions as his rival; his gaze peering to Selena, who had initiated the sisterly interaction.

“Am I not allowed to display joy for seeing my sister? After all, the last time we saw was during the attack and though we have been in contact, it is very different to be reunited in person,” Selena replied factually; her tone clear and monotone. “And I can assure you, captain, that I am a very different person to my sister than to others. Thus, displays of affection such as this, will not be commonplace. Besides, now that it’s been made known, I see no reason to stress it further.”

“Since what has been made known?” Fuegoleon clarified, making both sisters gaze to him.

“The fact that we are sisters. It gives explanation as to why we might be seen frequently together,” Selena explained, but instead making the two men wonder even more.

“We are just proud of the bond we have,” Solara continued. _You just have hard time expressing it,_ she thought while giving a side glance to Selena.

“Is that not given?” Selena raised on eyebrow while turning to her sister. “But this way there’s no reason to stress the fact that I do feel sisterly affection towards you,” she noted.

“I don’t think there’s a reason to ‘stress it’ in any case,” Solara began with a hesitant smile. “Either you feel it or then you don’t,” she replied, raising her hand slightly as she saw Selena opening her mouth to retort. “And I know how you feel, yes. It’s just that don’t see why there ought to be a, hmmm, ‘special display’ for the public. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t mind it, but I also don’t see a reason to make a special show of it. Or, hmm,” she smirked. “[Is this a way for you to say: ‘look this one, right here, is my sister and I love her. So, none of you try to come in between us’?]”

A faint blush decorated Selena’s cheeks as she let out a small scoff. “Suppose you have a point,” not commenting on Solara’s suggestion as the two men simply stood there, observing the situation which was followed by brief small talk after which Selena was pulled to the side by Nozel, leaving Solara and Fuegoleon to their own company; standing away from the crowd, but not quite as much to the side as the other two.

“Was that a… greeting of some kind specific for Theans?” He asked with curiosity.

“No, no,” Solara chuckled. “It’s a… kind of a poem we wrote as kids. Gods, it’s been so long that I don’t even remember what was it for, or if that the poem in its entirety, but that part just stuck with us,” she smiled, her gaze falling to the side as she reminisced.

“I see,” he smiled; his gaze cascading over her.

“Too much of a scene?” She asked.

“Hm?”

“Did I cause too much of a scene?”

“Ah,” he began. “There was no harm done, so-“ he stopped as a guard approached them, turning his head.

“My apologies for interrupting, Sir,” the guard saluted. “But there is a man at the entrance who _claims_ to know Lady Equinox and wishes to enter the premises.”

“Hmm?” Solara hummed with intrigue. “Did he state a name?”

“Yes, it was,” the guard began, trying to bend his tongue around the name. “Mac-, Mach-“

“Machina?” Solara interrupted. “About this tall,” she stated, raising her hand for a moment to the appropriate height, “white hair, grey eyes, outfit so carefully polished that it looks almost disturbing. Almost as if every crease and fold would be measured with millimetre precision?”

The guard blinked, standing still for a moment. “Yes…” he uttered, trying to grasp the accuracy of her description.

“Ah,” her inquiring expression turned into a smile. “Yes, I know him.”

“But-,” the guard began hesitantly, trying to choose his words carefully. “He-, he doesn’t seem to have… a lot of mana.”

“Hmmm,” Solara hummed. “Actually, he doesn’t have any.”

“No magic?” Fuegoleon asked with raised eyebrows, voicing also the guard’s surprise.

“Hm? Ah, yes,” she paused. “I only had that conversation with Leo,” she thought out loud. “The majority of Theans have no magic whatsoever. I keep forgetting that it’s not a norm.” She stated with an awkward smile, seeing both pairs of eyes widen with the statement.

“No magic?” he clarified with a hushed tone. _But her mana is-; though there’s also a wide variety of different mana levels here, and there are many who have ‘virtually’ no mana. Thus I, I suppose… that I shouldn’t be *this* surprised, but…_

“Mhm,” Solara nodded. “But I do know him, so you may let him in,” she continued, glancing to the guard before hesitating. “Or should I rather see him outside?” She asked, turning towards Fuegoleon once more.

“No, no, don’t be absurd,” he shook his head. “You may let him in,” he continued while looking to the guard.

“Yes Sir,” he spoke before turning around, the look of surprise still lingering on his face.

“It seems that there’s still a lot to learn about the differences between our countries,” he stated after they had been left alone, a shadow of a smile passing over him.

“Indeed, there is,” Solara agreed with a smile, not knowing that he too felt hope of being able to spend more time together, climbing up his heartstrings.

The conversation turned to one of idle things, small talk, and a few smiles that were hidden from even each other, as they dared not let their feelings slip through. _Would my feelings be… accepted?_ Was the question they both asked, but only in the quiet corners of their own minds.

After some time, a man with platinum hair, strong jawline and piercing eyes walked into the room, carrying his head high and seemingly filling the room with his presence only. Or, perhaps, it only felt that way because he, indeed, had not an ounce of magic in him at all, which made him all the more noticeable. But, despite the fact that he was without mana, the ensemble, accompanied by a gauntlet, he wore spoke of a high place in society, something that seemed impossible to most in the room. Almost as impossible as there being someone else like that in the world, which only caused everyone in the room to stare at him. All but one.

“Huh? Why’s everybody staring at that guy?” Asta asked, not directing the question at anyone specifically, but instead wondering out loud.

“That man… he has no magic…” Mimosa said with a hushed tone, still following him with her gaze.

“What?! Really?!” Asta yelled before running to him, eyes radiating with excitement. “Is it true that you don’t have magic either?!”

The man stopped his steps as Asta was practically standing in front of him, his eyes turning to gaze down, the expression unwavering. He measured Asta up and down with his eyes, which didn’t take long. “It is true, I have no magic. Whether or not you have any, I wouldn’t know.” His voice was low and monotone; nearly bored and stripped of emotion.

“Oooo! How did you become high ranking knight?!” He asked, his voice only growing louder.

His brows furrowed, telling of slight irritation. “You are making assumptions based on the system that is functional in your home country, disregarding the fact that the system is not universal. And despite taking into consideration how you’re most likely referring to a group of individuals whose role is to safeguard a nation, I can’t see the relevance of the question.” He stated, his voice still unwavering.

“Eh?” Asta only uttered, staring at him with wide eyes.

The man scoffed, seemingly disappointed in the response, which was barely even a reply. “Now, if you’ll excuse me,” he stated, as if he had wanted to sigh, and walked around Asta without waiting for a reply. “[Lady Equinox,]” he greeted to the both of the women in question separately, giving them both a courteous, yet shallow, bow.

“Valereon, long time no see,” Solara greeted, while Selena only nodded, staying in the side-lines. “What brings you here?” She continued, smiling to him, while the rest of the room simply observed.

From the corner of his eye, he took a glimpse of all the eyes locked to him, making him blink slowly, as if to sigh.

“I require assistance from a mayu, with category 3 mana, in relation to the filtrate system I’m implementing in mana stabilizers of the safety barrier and shield system that’s under construction,” he stated blankly; stopping at a point that was of equal distance to both Solara and Selena.

“Oh,” Solara uttered in surprise. “And… our parents were unable to assist you?” She inquired as a small frown rose on her face.

“I did not ask, my Lady,” he simply replied.

“May I ask why? After all, it’s a long journey back home, and… you made the journey for-“ Solara raised an eyebrow, trying to grasp the underlying intentions.

“A filtrate system?” Selena completed Solara’s sentence, her expression stern and inquiring. “It’s essential for the future of homeland security, yes, but there’s no reason to ask for our assistance in place of that of our parents.” She stated, her gaze unwavering from Valereon.

Solara slightly raised her hand while giving a glance to Selena, who’s gaze shifted to her and who’s demeanour became more drawn as a result.

“As the generation that will soon take rule over Thea, I see it necessary that we seek to work more with each other, rather than the older generations. And quite frankly, if I may-“ his tone was courteous and frank; gaze turning to Solara, who nodded. “I find your company more stimulating that that of your parents,” he admitted, making Selena’s eyebrow quirk up, while Solara was unphased by the admission.

“Given that we’ve spend time together through our schooling, I can understand that,” Solara smiled to him. “But it doesn’t explain your reasoning, I’m afraid. Yes, it’s essential that we are able to work together, but surely, it’d have been more…efficient to seek the aid of those in Thea, than that of ours, as we were far away. Especially if this is treated as an isolated event,” she said as an apology veiled over her expression.

“True,” Valereon agreed, pausing to choose his next words carefully, but instead speaking his mind. “In that case, let me reformulate my answer: I find your company more stimulating, because you make me wonder.” He walked over to Solara, standing closer than was considered courteous, towering over her. His eyes fixed on her, piercing through her, as if he wouldn’t have wanted to even blink in fear of missing something important.

“I have known you for the longest time, and this,” he stated as he rose his hand to gently gesture towards Solara’s complexion. “Still seems like a mystery that I can’t resolve,” he stated with a hint of a smile, making Solara frown; his gaze piercing to hers.

“You almost look like you could craft a report of her face alone,” Selena scoffed, feeling his words and action to be ridiculous.

“I could.” He stated, his gaze turning to her with a blink, before falling back to Solara. “I could craft a long report in which I describe your appearance. The height of your cheekbones, that one sunspot on your jaw that is out of line with the 3 others with which it could form a straight line, and how your right ear is 2,3 millimetres lower than your left.” He let out a scoff. “Imperfections; something I don’t tolerate… but, it works. Somehow it all just comes together, externally and internally.” He paused, still staring at her for a moment before letting his gaze fall to the side as he blinked slowly with a sigh. “And all of it is ruined by the fact that you have magic.” His statement oozing anger and frustration as it rolled out of him, the words sounding forced, or perhaps, held back.

“Alright, that’s enough.” Fuegoleon stated, staring him down and while pushing between them. Fire raged in his chest, making him grind his molars together as he forced his voice to stay as calm, yet commanding, as possible. 

Valereon’s brows furrowed, distaste clear from his expression before turning his gaze to Solara, disregarding Fuegoleon. “You allow yourself to be pushed aside like that?” He questioned, his tone grave and full of disbelief. “You are better than that. The next head of the House of Equinox, and you allow a _mage_ to push you aside like that?” He spat out the word ‘mage’ in the middle of the sentence full of thistles and thorns.

“I am not pushing her aside. I am shielding her,” Fuegoleon retorted, not budging an inch as he spoke in Solara’s stead.

 _Alright,_ Solara thought. _They’re both grown men. They’re agitated, but they can talk it out. Even if Valereon is out of line…_ “Valereon… That’s enough,” Solara tried, but her statement fell to deaf ears.

“You weren’t spoken to, and I would encourage you to learn your place,” Valereon’s tone cold and harsh as his eyes turned to Fuegoleon’s, the air around the room growing heavy as the two stared each other down.

“I know my place, and it’s right here.” Fuegoleon replied, his voice lowering with each word, stressing each syllable.

Selena leaned back, observing the situation with a suppressed grin, while Solara took a few steps to the side with the intent to circle around Fuegoleon and go in-between the two. _But just in case, maybe I ought to step in._ “Let’s settle down, please,” she tried again; failing once more.

“No. It is not. Your place is not there, bringing her such shame,” Valereon’s words were laced with venom that struck a nerve in Fuegoleon, tipping both of them over the edge.

Valereon passed his fingers by the gauntlet on his arm, making a small tinge of mana appear while Fuegoleon’s pose changed, the flames on his arm intensifying as his fingers curled into a fist; Valereon’s hand doing the same. And though it had hung in the air for a moment, Solara still couldn’t quite believe it when both moved to strike, staring down the other.

Solara knew that Fuegoleon could hold his own in a fight, but as she knew Valereon, the sinking in her chest was unavoidable. And at the moment of impact, for her it seemed as if time itself had slowed down. She could feel Fuegoleon’s mana raging forward to Valereon, only to be aimed right back. Almost as if Fuegoleon’s mana had collected together upon impact with Valereon and coursed over him effortlessly.

The shock striking through Fuegoleon, every muscle, every fibre, knocking the air right out of him as bolts of pure energy pierced through him like electricity. And with that, his fire arm died down, the numbing sensation that followed taking him by surprise, feeling as if the strike had landed on his internal organs instead of his skin. His legs started to shake and body slumping forward as a mocking grin rose to Valereon’s lips.

“You see, _mage_? You use magic, but you don’t know how it works on the most elementary level. _You_ are like a child playing with matches, not capable of understanding how to use them the most efficiently.” Valereon mocked him, caught in the feeling of victory.

“Valereon. *That is enough*.” Solara stressed, placing herself in-between the two. _How dare he?!_ “You’re about to cause an international conflict.” She stated, staring at him without as much as blinking in the process. _The audacity and downright *insult*!_

“I am not the one causing conflict,” he replied, the grin melting from him and his expression settling back into its usual calm, stoic position. “He was showing disrespect to you, to us, as Theans. Disrespect on our culture and internal affairs.”

“No, he was not. He was placing himself between people. Individuals. *You* made it your business to take offense and attack a member of a Royal House of another nation.” She stated, her voice growing louder.

“I second that view,” Selena stated from the side-lines, raising her hand slightly in the air, making both of them glance at her.

Valereon bit down his molars and closed his eyes, his brows furrowing even more. “Yes ma’am,” he said, forcing the words out of him before turning half way around. “I don’t see it.” He stated, glancing to the two.

 _You mean that you don’t see the appeal, right?_ Solara thought to herself as she sighed, turning her attention to Fuegoleon, who was again standing with as straight posture as he possibly could. “It really is quite the kick,” she stated with worry as she was more concerned about Fuegoleon’s condition than Valereon leaving. “Are you alright?” She asked without even realizing that she placed her hands onto his chest and shoulder, the question flowing from her gently like summer rain, washing away the numbing sensation.

“Mhm,” he managed to utter with low grumble. His eyes shifting for a moment to Solara, but turning hastily back to glare Valereon whose fist clenched once more. But this time, he ground his teeth and turned fully to leave in which point Yami stepped in.

“Where do you think you’re going creep?” He asked with a low, rumbling voice while crossing his arms and standing in Valereon’s way. “The least you could do is apologize.”

“I don’t see why I should. Afterall, he saw fit to speak on top her and show her disrespect,” he stated as if he was stating the obvious. “But if the issue rises from her being of lower rank in the local classification system, I’m willing to take it up with his superior.” He paused as his gaze found its way to Mereo, who stood further away with crossed arms. “Who, judging by the similar cape and insignia is her,” he continued while nodding to Mereo’s direction, as she was standing on the other side of the room, observing.

“What makes you think that?” Yami questioned, his eyebrow raising up.

“You forget that we’re not in Thea,” Selena reminded, still standing in place while directing her statement to Valereon. His head turned to her instead, as he, in turn, raised an eyebrow.

“Hm?” he only uttered, expecting Selena to elaborate.

“You really ought to step out from Thea more,” Selena sighed.

“Spit it out already. What exactly are you talking about?” Mereo asked while making her way closer to conflict.

“Most nations have a patriarchal society where men are valued higher than women, making men the ones who defend the ‘weaker’ parties and uphold the society. So, here pushing a woman aside from a conflict is considered more or less heroic.” Selena stated, factually while looking at Valereon, who blinked and remained silent for a moment before covering his mouth with his hand. But instead of regret the emotion that was painted on his face was amusement, and soon laughter erupted into the air.

“Very funny,” he laughed. “Ever since the ancient times, no society has been able to function without women. Of course, men had their input and they were grieved when they died, but compared to women, they were expendable. Women are strong and resilient, and you’re trying to convince me that you, of all people, would be content in staying in a place, where denying such a fact would be commonplace. What madness.” He paused, the amusement fading away as he regained his composure. “Women are to be respected, and yes, protected, but only when they need it. And not cast aside and spoken over,” he continued, glaring at Fuegoleon from the corner of his eye.

“Well said kid,” Mereo stated as she gave one strong pat on Valereon’s back, nearly knocking him over and certainly knocking the air out of him. “It’ just that you don’t quite practise as you preach,” she continued while crossing her arms and towering over his now hunched form; the chill of her tone reaching all the way down into his very soul.

 _I probably shouldn’t have struck her subordinate,_ he thought as his gaze fell to the ground, unable to meet hers. Eyes staring ahead of him and his pulse rising little by little.

“And,” Mereo paused, her words gathering even more gravity. “Since you just struck my brother, it’s my job as his older sister to put you in your place.” Her gaze zeroed in on him, piercing through him as if he wasn’t even there.

_Oh, shit…_


	13. "You should come home"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter revolves around resolving that which took place in chapter 12; and the emotions that result from it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya~  
> Thanks for reading (as always), and I do hope that I'm still keeping you interested with this chapter (as well as living up to the already told story ^_^)
> 
> Note: there's an implied mention of blood, and a mention of physical torment, but nothing graphic. I'm just stating to be safe.

_I probably should’ve prevented this,_ Solara thought to herself as she looked at Valereon’s hunched form sitting on the ground, leaning to the wall against which he had crashed. He was blinking rapidly, as if he was trying to grasp what had just happened; his head swaying slightly.

A low growl escaped Mereo as she shook her head violently for a brief moment as if trying to shake of the backlash; seemingly succeeding as her gaze locked back onto Valereon in no time. “Interesting. It really does kick back,” Mereo laughed; tilting her head like the apex predator that she was, evaluating if the prey was even worth the effort. “But it looks like if I rely more on my physical strength; you’re helpless,” she scoffed with a grin while cracking her knuckles.

Valereon was gasping for air as his hand sluggishly found its way onto his gauntlet; his eyes hidden behind loose stands of hair that now had fallen over his face.

 _Oh no,_ Solara thought to herself. _This has escalated enough already._ “Valereon. That’s enough,” she commanded, making her way away from Fuegoleon and towards Valereon across the floor. Her urgency was laced with the sense of duty and determination. Her mana concentrating around her, ready to bind him in his place. _I wish he hasn’t found a way to make his mana suit overlook area effects._

He shook his head, but Solara was unable to tell if it was out of disorientation or out of disobedience; a chance she wasn’t about to take. Thus, she continued making her way to him, kneeling next to him, but positioning herself in a way that allowed Mereo to see him, and him to see her. Not placing herself between the two, but instead looking to stop him fiddling with his gauntlet and letting those around see it. So, she placed her hand onto his armed forearm and stared him in the eye. “If you know what’s good for you, you won’t do whatever it is you’re intending to do.”

His eyes shifted to Mereo for a moment before he looked back to Solara; his eyes pleading while his lips parted, ready to ask a question.

“No,” she stated while letting go of him. “You’re in no position to come looking for help from me. You brought this onto yourself, and now you need to deal with the consequences.” Her tone was cold and distant; the words freezing his skin as they glided over him.

“You always say that,” he remarked, his gaze shifting to the side.

“What is that supposed to mean?” She asked while standing up and taking a few steps behind.

His gaze shifted back to her, mouth opening slightly, but nothing came out. “Nothing,” he whispered shaking his head while he looked away and weakly shook his head. “I just don’t see why you put up with that,” he stated lifting himself up from the ground.

“The only thing I had to ‘put up with’ was you invading my personal space. And look, I know you have an eye for detail, to the point where you can distinguish a 2 millimetre screw from a 5 millimetre one, but… that was a little creepy-“

“A little?” Selena, who had taken a few steps closer to them, asked with disbelief seeping through her tone.

They both glanced at Selena for a brief moment, the clarification halting the conversation for a moment. Solara’s train of thought got lost in the process, but her disappointment and irritation still swirled in her chest; leaving her to try and make sense of it.

“But in that case, it’s your place to notify me of my behaviour and punish me accordingly,” his voice began as calm and collected, but he paused, biting down his molars. His next words being pushed out of his mouth, laced with frustration: “And _not_ leave it to a-“

Solara slapped him; his head turning to the side and leaving a reddish tint over his skin. “Alright then,” she concluded.

His head stayed still; only his hand rising to his cheek and his fingers carefully traced over the tint. And so, he stayed; in disbelief and shock, his eyes glazed forward. A heavy silence settled into the air, one that reminded of a calm before a storm. But what was about to unfold, none knew and it made the quiet that stood still, feel all the more unsettling.

Valereon moved his other hand to his side, slightly hidden from view; the action tugged a chord inside of Fuegoleon, pulling cold sweat up his spine. And as if pulled by gravity, he took steps forth, closer to Solara while he was afraid to even start to consider what might happen. Silence rang in his ears, his eyes shifting between Solara and Valereon.

She glanced over her shoulder as she heard the approaching step. Raising her hand slightly, she shook her head as she saw him coming closer to her. He frowned at her, still feeling the pull and not wanting to stand still. Almost as if the floor would have tipped down from under him, making it so easy to just slide to her, but instead having to fight back to stay away.

What emerged from his clothes, was a handkerchief that he placed over his mouth, making a small cough as his pose started to melt, little by little. As he removed the white fabric from his mouth, it was decorated with a hint of red, to which he frowned before tucking the piece of cloth away.

Solara sighed, trying to think of what to say to him, but her mind running empty. And so, she shook her head, barely unable to even do that before turning around and beginning to make her way away from him. Her chin hung lower and her gaze was to the distance.

“Could we… talk?” He asked, making her turn around. “In private,” he clarified.

“No.” Selena and Fuegoleon stated simultaneously, their tones leaving no room for negotiation.

“That is a tall order,” Solara commented. “But personally, I don’t see a reason why the conversation should be continued in public either,” she continued glancing over to Mereo and Fuegoleon.

“Mhm,” Mereo only hummed in agreement, manifesting her fire paws and grabbing onto Valereon’s head.

His hands moved to grab the mana as his face twisted in irritation; eyes turning to Solara who only shook her head with a slow, heavy movement. “[Believe me, you do not want to fight her,]” she still said, her tone heavy and cold, almost as if it was drawing every ounce of warmth from around her, leaving only the frozen words hanging in the air.

His gaze locked with hers for a moment, asking a question, but then moved to Mereo who stood there with a glare. Her eyes, despite being blue, were far from soothing; instead, they pierced through everything in their path with no hesitations. _Who is that woman?_ He only thought before succumbing to his fate.

\---

Solara stood still with crossed arms, looking expectedly at Valereon while Fuegoleon, Mereo, Selena and Nozel stood to the side. Silence lingered between them; neither knowing where to start.

“We should have taken his gauntlet,” Nozel commented with a hushed tone.

“You suddenly care about that,” Mereo scoffed. “And why are you here anyhow?”

“A member of my squad is here, translating the conversation of two foreigners; it’s my duty to be here,” he replied.

“You’re forgetting that she’s a ‘foreigner’ too,” Mereo remarked.

“If you keep that up, I can’t hear what they’re saying,” Selena noted, her gaze fixed to the two in the distance.

Fuegoleon stayed quiet, his eyes locked onto Solara. The uneasy tension in his chest only growing by the minute; the golden threads around his heart winding tighter and tighter.

“[What do you want Val?”] Solara finally asked with a sigh, placing one of her hands on her hip.

“[I… wanted you to help me with-]”

“[Oh, cut it out,]” Solara spat with frustration; followed by a deep breath and a sigh. “[Okay, maybe that’s something you also want. But making it seem like that’s the _main_ reason for your visit is… it’s an insult to my intelligence,]” she continued; her tone settling down and turning into one of disappointment.

“[My apologies,]” he stated, his gaze falling to the side. “[I… the truth is… I heard that you had been staying here for quite a while, and though travelling does take time, for you to stay stationary in one place for a long period of time without visiting home… It was unorthodox,]” he paused for a moment as Solara raised on eyebrow. “[And then I found the reports dealing with the… incident,]” he glanced to Fuegoleon from the corner of his eye.

“[And?]” Solara asked, pausing for a moment. “[I know that I violated Clause 31 of the Homeland Security Act; and I know, I _know_ what it can lead to,]” he emphasised; her tone building up tension.

“[That’s precisely it,]” he replied. “[You know it _better_ than most of us, of our generation, because you saw it unfolding before you. And still… this,]” he continued, making a sliding motion with his hand; as if everything that had happened would’ve been scattered on a table before him.

She stared back at him, but this time, not in irritation or disbelief. She stared back, because he understood. At least a part of it.

“[It’s him… isn’t it?]” Valereon asked, glancing back at Fuegoleon for a brief moment. His eyes narrowed and his fingers started curling into a fist.

“[Val,]” Solara tried.

“[Why is he so special to you?]” His brows furrowed with his question; eyes shutting tightly as his jaw tensed, much like Fuegoleon’s entire body because of his tone.

Whatever faint sense of calm might’ve still existed in Fuegoleon, washed away with that tone. Fire raging inside of his chest as his brows, too, furrowed. His heart tearing and pulling, trying to break free from the shackles and restrains that held it, as it wanted nothing more than be guided by the golden threads. His gaze shifted to Selena for a brief moment, just to see her reaction, which was more curious than concerned. But all it did, was manage to keep him still; failing to bring any sense of comfort to him.

“[Val?]”

“[You used _Kiss of Embers_ on _him!_?]” His eyes opened, but they glared into the depths of the floor to the side.

“[ _Val…?_ _]_ ” Solara’s tone grew heavier each time she uttered his name; judging him.

“[It’s absurd!]”

“[Val!]” She yelled back. “[What?! Are you _in love_ with me or something? After all these years…]” Her voice was laced with sarcasm, but the look he gave her… told her everything she needed to know; despite his reply.

“[No! No!]” He exclaimed, beginning to pace back and forth.

Selena grabbed Fuegoleon’s arm; keeping him stationary. His gaze shifting between her and Solara as his jaw clenched.

“[You know better than any non-Machina,]” Valereon paused for a moment. “[I can’t love you!]” A brief silence settled in the air after his un-confession. “[I… I can’t. I could never… We have built an empire that allows us to stand as equals with mayus; The Noble House of Machina. And we are proud, _I am proud_ , of being with no mana; of being teyu.]” His tone had gradually calmed down; fading into nearly whispers.

Valereon stopped his pacing; his head hanging low as he stared into the distance. “[And… I…]” He sighed. “[I can’t love you. I can’t love you, not as long as you are with mana…]” he paused for a moment before speaking with a hushed tone, more to himself than anyone else, but still barely loud enough for others to hear: “[Or as long as I am without...]”

Selena’s eyes shot wide open at the confession, disbelief and sheer shock prominent on her face as she questioned having heard right. _He… did he meant to imply that…?_ She managed to think through her confusion, before she was woken from her state by Fuegoleon tugging his arm free after seeing the expression planted on her face; and anger planted on his as he made his way closer to Solara.

She glanced at him as she heard the approaching steps, Valereon doing the same.

“It’s alright Sir,” she said to Fuegoleon with a shadow of a smile, while Valereon scoffed at the word ‘sir’.

A low sound, close to a displeased growl escaped him as he stopped only a few steps away from her; his eyes glaring to Valereon, who in turn, glared back. “Are you certain?” He asked, his gaze not shifting over to Solara as the fire still roared in his chest, his mana raging while he did his best to contain it; his entire body tense and mind focused on only one thing.

“Yes, I’m sure,” she stated; thankful and yet frank before turning back to face Valereon. “[That is not how emotions work,]” she noted, her tone laced with an apology.

“[So you tell me,]” Valereon replied turning his eyes back to her. “[So you tell me,]” he repeated, his tone dripping with melancholy. “[But…]” he paused, letting out a small amused scoff as his memories started flooding in. _That day… we were only kids back then, and it was an innocent question. It was. But you needed my help. You. A mayu of the House of Equinox wanted me to help you. You didn’t come to me with an attitude, thinking that you were above me, but instead you recognised me for my talent. Hm… Suppose I wasn’t ever really openly discriminated, but… nobody else made the effort to…talk to me. You all just had something in common, while I didn’t. And then you came…wanting my help, and from there on…You didn’t push me away…_ “[Everybody wants to feel sun’s warmth over their skin,]” he smiled.

 _The hell is that supposed to mean?_ Solara thought to herself with a slight frown. “[Not everyone unfortunately,]” she commented.

“[Suppose you’re right,]” he chuckled. “[There are those who find comfort from the darkness,]” he paused for a moment, his smile fading as his expression hardened back to being a stoic one. “[I was… concerned for you. That’s why I’m here,]” he replied, factually as his posture straightened.

Fuegoleon’s eyes shifted to Solara for the first time since approaching the two; watching her expression and pose. But all he could read from her was reservation and uncertainty. “It looks like the conversation is over,” he remarked, not knowing what had happened, but still refusing to let it go on any further.

“So it seems,” Valereon agreed, his gaze turning to Fuegoleon as tension started building back up into the air. “In which case I’ll be taking my leave,” he concluded beginning to circle around them.

“Don’t you think you need to still take responsibility here? Or at least apologise?” Solara asked, making Valereon stop and look over his shoulder.

“As long as it was between individuals, the scandal is minimal. Besides, I am not sorry for striking him,” he said as his eyes turned to him with a cold, distant glare. “And I suppose he’s not sorry for striking me either.”

“I cannot say that I am,” Fuegoleon agreed without blinking.

“But he is free to stop me if he wants to keep me here,” Valereon remarked, shifting his gaze back to Solara. “You should come home soon. Thea needs you as well; to be there, and not out here with the best of intentions. And…if I need to apologise for something, I apologise for making you uncomfortable.”

Fuegoleon clenched his fist and bit down his molars.

 _He’s not wrong. Eventually, I need to go back home,_ Solara thought. “You’re right, and eventually I will. And thank you,” she stated with a sigh, making Fuegoleon’s gaze turn to her while his heart tumbled to the pit of his stomach.

Valereon only nodded to her reply, starting to make his way forward, greeting to Selena and Mereo on his way out.

“Are we just letting him walk?” Nozel questioned after Valereon was of reasonable distance from them.

“Oh? Are you afraid of someone with no magic,” Mereo joked while crossing her arms.

“No, but altercations such as these escalate easily,” he pointed out.

“Worse squabbles go on in noble circles on a daily basis,” Mereo scoffed. “But if you’re that worried, then go stop him.”

Nozel looked displeased with the answer, but wasn’t about to argue against, while Selena made her way to her sister.

“What was that about?” She asked with furrowed brows; nearly spitting out the words.

“I’m not quite sure,” Solara shook her head.

Selena’s brows rose at the answer. “You don’t know? Just- [for fuck’s sake Lara.] Has he always been like that?”

“Of course not! And… to be honest I’m, I’m just not sure what to make of it,” Solara sighed.

A sickling feeling twirled inside of Selena, a thought that she didn’t want to voice. “I think you should take some distance,” she stated, chewing onto the words she wondered if she ought to utter.

“Is this not enough distance,” Solara scoffed with a chuckle while placing her hand onto her temple.

“I’m just-,” Selena began. “Look, it’s just that… CaBi is a thing…”

Solara’s hand fell from her temple as a shock overtook her. “There is a difference, a world of difference between ‘I want you to touch me’ and _stabs a syringe with CaBi into someone’s thigh_!”

“He said he wanted you to touch him?” Fuegoleon asked, butting in; sounding shocked and outraged.

“No, not directly… but-“

“It was implied,” Selena remarked.

“It was metaphorical,” Solara noted. “And no, not touch in… _that_ way.”

“Ah yes, because just holding his hand will do it in the long run,” Selena scoffed sarcastically. “Besides we are talking about the person, who _made_ your armour. He knows precisely the limitations and boundaries of your abilities, not to mention is probably very happy to know your measurements.”

“Those came with the job. And if we really are going there, he knows that information about you as well. Also, I’d like to remind you, that it was you who said that, that information is nothing more than a tool. The same as if you get a doctor’s appointment, and you’re… in a way just a research specimen,” Solara retorted.

“That’s because there’s no underlying intentions, which he clearly has.”

“Look,[Lena]…” Solara sighed. “I’m not saying that everything is _alright_ , but I’m saying that he’s evil or psychotic…He just… needs some help.”

“It starts like that and ends up with a CaBi injection,” Selena scoffed.

“Now you’re just being dramatic,” Solara scoffed back.

“Call it whatever you want, but you’re not going to be alone with him. Oh no. Over my dead body. I’m reporting his ass so fast-“

“[Lena!]… Look-“

“Stop with the ‘look’.”

Solara groaned before taking a deep breath. “I know you worry, but right now… I just don’t know what to think.”

Selena glared at Solara for a moment before her gaze rose to the ceiling. She took a deep breath, only to lower her head into her hands with a groan. “Okay,” she stated, dropping her hands and straightening her posture. “I still have a bad feeling about him, but… suppose if he was actually going to do something, he would already have done it.”

Solara nodded to her with a faint smile.

“But I still don’t want you being alone with him,” Selena insisted. “And _this_ isn’t the last of it.”

“No, it isn’t. It certainly isn’t,” Solara said as she shook her head and crossed her arms, staring into the distance.

 _He…knows so much about her and he…_ Fuegoleon clenched his fists. _And he-, if he never told her, then those are ill-gotten gains. Who does he think he is? And she-, she’s trying to understand him… She shouldn’t-. I, I can’t protect her if she goes back to Thea. Just how, how dare he!?_

\---

Hours later Fuegoleon and Solara were walking through the courtyard of the Crimson Lion Kings’ Headquarters; the rest of the squad dispersing to various entrances as he stopped.

“Solara?”

“Hm?” She hummed out while turning to him.

“We need to talk,” he insisted, not knowing how else to stress the importance of the questions he needed to ask her.

Her heart sank with his words, but she couldn’t argue with his request. It was true; they did need to talk. “Of course,” she replied, her expression becoming painted with melancholy. “In your office I take it.”

“No,” he shook his head. “I was thinking that we could take a walk around the premises,” he suggested, to which she nodded, waiting for him to choose a direction before following him.

The sun was setting behind the horizon, painting the world in hues of yellow, red and gold as the wind carried fresh air to them. The grass occasionally swayed with the passing breezes; only the rustling sound of leaves breaking the silence, until Solara sighed. “Sir… I- am sorry for what happened today. I should’ve been quicker to de-escalate the conflict and-“

“It wasn’t your fault,” he interrupted her, shaking his head. “He was out of line, and that is my professional…and personal… opinion. And I do hope that you’ll bring it up with the appropriate parties in Thea,” his voice was painted with an undertone of sorrow, which she took for disappointment.

_He must think that I am incapable to lead if I can’t even handle something like that…_

_She should bring it up. I need to ask about it later to make sure that he’s held responsible for the way he treated her. By the gods I-, I wish I could just-, I wish I could do more, but as it was pointed out… That altercation was between individuals and if I take it further… it will no longer be just that…_ He thought during the brief silence that fell between them. “But that isn’t what I wanted to talk about,” he continued.

“Oh?” She uttered. “Then… what is it, Sir?”

He stayed silent for a moment, rolling around the words over his tongue, trying to choose the right ones. “Have I… disrespected you?” His tone was quiet and careful, almost in disbelief of needing to ask such a question.

“Sir I-…. I don’t… Why do you need to ask?” She frowned, unable to even beginning to comprehend why he’d ask.

“Today, it became apparent that the customs are very different in our respective countries, and I can understand that you’ve been taking it into consideration while interacting with me-, with us,” he corrected. “But I must ask you to correct my behaviour if it offends you,” he insisted halting his steps and turning to her; gazing deep into her eyes.

Wind travelled from between them, making their hair sway with it. She looked at him, mouth agape and eyes staring back at him with a veil of melancholy.

“No,” she chuckled carefully. “You haven’t. Val-, Valereon is very… insisting and old school when it comes to certain things, but I do think that his judgement was also clouded. I think you’ve been respectful of me, and that… you’ve only stepped in when you’ve felt it to be necessary rather than just nonchalantly standing in the side lines with the attitude of ‘let the women sort it out for themselves’. And besides… it’s not like husbands wouldn’t shield their wives in Thea,” her tone grew more quiet by the end of her explanation; her gaze falling to the side.

 _Thank the gods…Then, maybe, she doesn’t feel the need to go back home so soon. She could stay here… where I can protect her…_ “I’m glad to hear that,” he confessed; his gaze cascading over her as a comforting blanket, making a faint smile appear over her lips. “Can I ask one more thing?” He inquired; his tone being laced with determination.

“Of course,” she replied, turning her gaze to him. Her eyes being rid of the veil of melancholy.

“What was that… injection your sister was talking about?” His expression grew frank and unwavering, wanting to know what might be coming her way if he failed to keep her there.

“Hm? Oh, right. CaBi.” Her gaze turned from his again, but still he nodded to her. “It’s a… well it’s a drug that can indeed be injected into a mayu. Well, technically it can be injected into anyone, but it only has an affect in mayus, and… it was used as a form of punishment for crimes…”

He felt his heart twisting in his chest once more. _He…would he claim that she mistreated him in some way?_

“Though I believe it’s been used only a handful of times in all of Thean history. By now it’s probably become more of a myth than anything concrete, partly because of its effects, but also because of the fact that it’s difficult to craft.” She continued, turning her gaze to the horizon and letting the red glow of the sun cascade over her complexion.

“But it does actually exist?” He clarified; feeling his throat closing up out of the uneasy feeling that was coiling around his heart.

She nodded, still keeping her gaze to the setting sun. “I don’t actually know how much is taught about the more…medical aspects of mages in here, nor if we use the same terminology…” She smiled absentmindedly to herself. “But the um… ‘cantamnar’ the … veins, in lack of a better word for it, that let mana course through you. CaBi, or Cantamnia Biomorir a drug that affects those veins; more specifically…it corrodes them. It eats them away to the point the mage loses their ability to cast any kind of magic, and the effects are irreversible. For those with only minor casting abilities, or have only a ‘little of mana’, it’s…uncomfortable, painful even. But for those that have a lot of it the high-magic users… it tends to be deadly. Not because CaBi would affect differently in their bodies, but because they tend to die of the shock that it causes to their bodies. It’s… it’s not a pleasant way to die. Or so I hear. From what I’ve understood, the longest… it took for a person, from those that actually ever got it… it took them 8 hours of agony. Feeling like something was eating them alive from the inside.” Her voice faded away with the wind as her gaze fell to the ground. “I’m not proud of us Theans having…or having had, that as a form of punishment. I’m just happy that it’s not used anymore.”

“But… he would know how to make one…I take it?” He managed to utter; his lips quivering as his legs trembled slightly. At that moment, he was glad that she wasn’t looking at him.

She nodded. “His family crafted it, once upon a time. Though nowadays they concentrate more on technology than medicine. Selena… she’d know more as one day, in the future, she would love to dip her toes into the world of medical research, what more specifically I can’t really say since her interests seem to shift every few months. Or maybe that’s just me,” she chuckled, while turning to him. But he barely heard her. Since all he wanted to do at that moment was to wrap his arms around her and ask her to stay. He wanted to beg her to not leave, to just not go back home. He wanted… but he couldn’t. All he could do, was watch her complexion become painted with the hues of yellow, gold… and red.


	14. Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solara and Fuegoleon are trying to come into terms with their own feelings regarding the aftermath of the confrontation.   
> Solara also contacts her mother regarding the events.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya~  
> Thanks for reading! And again a special thanks to those of you who have left comments.
> 
> Notes: the word "harassment" is mentioned (in relation to Val's behaviour); and there's also a curse word used (though not a bad one).

Fuegoleon’s eyes fluttered open, his body feeling heavy and tired despite having just slept, if that was what it could be called; the tossing and turning he had done last night. But even if he had tried to fall back asleep, he knew that he wouldn’t have slept. No, not now. Rest didn’t come to him. Quite frankly, it had been difficult to sleep ever since he had woken from his coma, the nightmares and the memories of the Midnight’s Sun’s attack tormented him in his dreams. But it had been tolerable. And he tried to convince himself that he’d get used to it; the nightmares would pass…eventually.

He pushed the covers off of him and sat up, placing his feet onto the cool floor while slouching forward. _This can’t be everything that I can do. This just…can’t be it. Yes, it’s true that if you’re high up enough in the society, personal relations aren’t just ‘personal relations’, they’re also politics to an extent. And I have no place in interfering with the politics of a foreign nation. I have no place… I just-_ He let out a sigh and stood up, staring into the depths of the floor as he started going through his morning routine.

 _There has to be something…anything…_ His jaw clenched as he thought about it; as he tried to find answers, but came up with none. Only the sound of the sleeping base was with him; as devoid of ideas as he was.

 _Anything…_ he felt his heart swirling into the depths of a black ocean in his chest, as he closed his bedroom door, making his way into the dining hall.

 _To keep her here…_ Even if he didn’t feel hungry; even if he didn’t feel like having breakfast, he ate. Forcing the food down his throat.

 _To keep her safe…_ Just going through the motions until he was by his desk, staring at the stacks of paper in front of him. _And happy…_ His body still feeling heavy as he sat there; the scent of jasmine having faded already, making him miss it all the more. _Anything… just… anything._

\---

Solara rested her head against her hands as she sat by the dressing table; staring into the depths of the wooden surface. Her hair unbrushed and bags under her eyes from all the tossing and turning she had done last night; it having taken hours for her to fall asleep. And even after she had done so, her sleep hadn’t been restful, even if she hadn’t seen dreams. Or nightmares. No, she had stopped doing so years ago. Now her sleep was nothing more than falling into a state of temporary unconsciousness, only to be woken from it hours later. But most often, it was still restful. Just not that night. So, she was left sitting there, trying to make sense of it all as she let out a sigh. _Lena is overreacting. She is. But…what am I supposed to do with this? I-, I don’t think he’s bad, no… But, just… The hell? I’ve known him since we were kids and this is the…okay, maybe there always was something, but I thought it was just him tolerating me better than the rest. He’s a solitary person after all… And Lena does have a point…with him knowing a lot about me…Just-, maybe I should call mom…_

She lifted her head and gazed to her communicator on the table, staring it for a while before letting out another sigh. _This is ridiculous. Mom knows that I’m not trying to depend on her, and there’s nothing wrong with asking for advice. There isn’t. It’s perfectly justifiable to call her in this situation. And besides, she needs to know in any case,_ she though while picking it up and selecting her mother’s name.

“[Hm? Solara? This is unexpected,]” said a voice on the other end.

“[You sound almost disappointed mother,]” she joked with a broken chuckle.

“[No, no. It really is just that. Unexpected.]” There was a small pause, before she continued. “[What’s on your mind?]”

“[That obvious huh?]”

“[Darling…I know you,]” she pointed out.

Solara chuckled slightly, before continuing. “[Have you-, have you yet heard about what happened yesterday?]”

“[I can’t say that I have. So…?]”

“[So… Valereon came by. Here in Clover Kingdom…]”

“[That I knew already. But I take it that it didn’t go well? Are there complications that we should be mindful of? And I’m still expecting to hear about this… cause of… Oh, how did you put it? Well, the one whose magic dances with yours the same way as your father’s twirls with mine in a cosmic waltz-]”

“[Mother!]” Solara exclaimed, her cheeks bright red. “[Please don’t…and those are your words, not mine…]”

“[But that was the underlying impression; that it’s very similar as what I just described.]”

Solara could practically hear her mother’s smirk, but made no further comments. “[Mother…]” she sighed. “[I-, I really don’t know hot to put this but…I think…I think Val borderline harassed me yesterday…]” She admitted while again leaning against her hand, placing her other hand over her temple.

“[He what?]” Her tone was frank and low, a mixture of outrage and detest.

“[He, uh, it’s a long story-]”

“[I have time.]”

“[Mother technically you-]”

“[Trust me darling. I _have_ time.]”

“[Okay, so… he came here requesting help with a new project of his and… it just didn’t make sense to me. I mean, the fact that he made the trip here, and I asked him about it. Or questioned better, I suppose. And…I’m not quite sure how it escalated into it, but he… ended up standing very close to me and gesturing towards my face as he was talking about how _he could craft a report of my appearance_ , he even made a comment of how… my right ear is lower than the other, I mean, it’s true. It is, but he was able to tell the exact length, and then… I just… There were details, and it creeped me out a little. And Lena… she was pretty furious too. I’m not making much sense, am I?]”

“[You’re making perfect sense dear. Now. What happened afterwards?]”

“[Ugh…well… Captain Vermillion stepped in and… he punched Val and Val did the same. Or they both struck each other simultaneously. And-]”

“[With his mana suit?]”

“[…Yes. And… so he struck a member of a Royal family of Clover Kingdom, but another member of said house paid back the…favour. It didn’t escalate any further, thankfully, though it was a close call… And I did slap him. Val I mean.]”

“[He got off easy.]”

“[Mother…]” Solara sighed and paused for a moment. “[And it was followed by a conversation, away from public. Lena was listening, but not…a part of the conversation-]”

“[Did Valereon know that Selena was listening?]”

“[Yes. And… Val did make a comment on how… _everybody wants to feel sun on their skin_ and it just-, for the context, as we were discussing about if he… if he had feelings for me, it felt weird.]”

“[Darling. I would be more concerned if it hadn’t felt weird to you.]” She paused for a moment. “[What’s the situation now? Are you and Selena alright? And should be expect a confrontation?]

“[Yes, we’re alright mother. As much so as possible. And I don’t think there’ll be a…larger altercation since, I believe, it was agreed that whatever happened, happened between individuals and not nations. So, Val is, as far as I know, coming back to Thea.]”

“[Alright…I’ll talk with Xylenna, and we’ll ask him about it as well…]” she said, sounding more displeased than Solara could remember ever hearing, or for a long time at least. “[But you do need to come back home for a while to sort this out.]”

“[You need me to leave immediately?]” Solara sighed.

“[No, I’ll message you about it. But just know to expect it.]”

“[Alright…]”

“[Are you doing okay dear? I know that this is bothering you, and rightfully so, but you do have a tendency to keep things to yourself.]”

“[I’ll… I’ll survive…]”

“[Darling, I know that much. But the thing is, I don’t want you to just survive, I want you to live.]”

“[I will, it’s just that I don’t quite know what to make of all this. Not yet at least.]”

“[Which is understandable.]” She paused for a moment. “[Perhaps you should talk with that dashing captain of yours. Speaking of which, I don’t think I ever caught his name. And if he did stand up for you, I suppose I should make a visit-]”

“[Okay, I’m hanging up now,] Solara announced.

“[Alright dear.]” Her mother chuckled. “[Stay safe.]”

“[I will, you too.]” She said before hanging up.

 _By the gods… She’s having way too much fun with this,_ Solara thought with a subtle smile. _But suppose it made me feel a little better…_

\---

Solara walked down the all too familiar corridor towards the captain’s office; her gaze directed into the depths of the floor and a faint smile decorating her lips. _I…should talk to him huh? Well… suppose it’d… No, no. I shouldn’t think about it like that. I shouldn’t harbour feelings for someone who doesn’t feel the same…_ She thought as a veil of melancholy was pulled over her eyes. _He’s just…being courteous and…protective because I’m a part of his squad. That must be it. After all there’s no reason why he’d feel like that…There’s many, more suitable option out there. My family… they’re just teasing me about it. They mean well, yes, and it’s not like I’ve given them many occasions to really tease me about anything like this, so suppose they want to make the most of it…I just…_ She raised her hand to knock at his door.

“Come in,” Fuegoleon welcomed before she had had a chance to knock, making the veil of melancholy fall from her face with his voice alone. And instead, a radiant smile overtook her, as if heavy clouds had been pushed aside, letting light in; light that she now reflected tenfold from the original.

 _I just-_ She placed her had onto the door hand and pushed the door open, trying to direct the thought. _I just-_ her eyes landed on him; seated behind his desk and a tired look in his eyes. And yet there was a tender smile on his lips. _I just love him…_

“Good day Sir,” she nearly cooed, feeling her fatigue leaving her.

“Good day,” he replied, giving her a slight nod. “What is it? Everything alright?” He inquired, feeling his heart sob in solitude, deep within the confines of his ribcage. A shadow of dread passed over him, making a shiver course through him.

“Yes,” she smiled. “Everything is…alright. I’m just here to drop by the latest scouting reports from the northern border. They seemed to be in order, nothing out of the ordinary was reported,” she explained as she made her way closer to his desk, handing out the documents. _He looks so tired. I wonder if he’s still feeling sore from the shock._

“Thank you,” he stated; his tone soft and delicate, his eyes cascading over her skin, admiring every movement. “That’s good to hear,” he continued, but in his reply, there was an undertone of hesitation. As if he wasn’t quite convinced of her answer.

“Sir… if I may?” She asked, her words fluttering to him past her lips, gathering bittersweet nectar of her affection that was just beyond his reach, in his mind at least.

“Hm?” He uttered, trying to think how to express his worry. How to express his wish for her to stay. _I…by the gods how I want her to stay. But she can’t. She can’t. Not indefinitely. And if…once, she leaves, there’s no guarantee that she’d come back… I’d… loose her…before I could even call her mine. Damn it. Damn it all. I can’t even call her almost mine. Not even ‘almost’…_

“Is the aftermath of the backlash making it difficult to sleep?”

He hesitated for a moment, only then becoming conscious of the soreness of his body. “Oh… a little bit yes,” he replied his gaze momentarily shifting to the side, making her brows furrow.

 _He must still be upset… Not that I can blame him,_ she thought as she straightened her posture in the slightest. “A nice, warm bath will help with that,” she smiled, tilting her head.

He swallowed. _I should…ask her. I should._ “Have you already made the necessary reports? To Thea, I mean,” he asked, worry seeping through his words.

“I have,” she replied after a moment of silence, her tone soft, but distant.

“Good,” he stated with a hushed tone; the tension of his body easing up.

“Which is why I need to go back home sometime soon,” she continued with the same, tender tone, but which, this time, didn’t make him feel any easier. Instead, her words slapped him in the face; his eyes widening as he failed, momentarily, to comprehend her words.

 _That… She… They’ll need her to address it in person. Of course…_ He though as his jaw clenched and a swirling void began filling his chest, making him feel hollow and devoid of hope. _So… in the end I-, I can’t do anything. Or better yet, I-…Because of me she’s leaving sooner than she would have, had I not pressed the need to report back. But she did need to do that. For her own sake. He can’t get away with something like that! No, it was inexcusable! But…it means her going…back home, where he is… It means her leaving…By the gods; think of something! Anything! What can I say to make her come back? Make her promise that she’ll come back, alive and well. … What if…she doesn’t want to come back?_

“Sir…?”

“Hm?” he uttered as he was woken from his thoughts.

“I understand if my departure will result into dismissal-“

“No! No… It, um,” he began, his voice gradually lowering down before he cleared his throat. “I don’t see a reason to dismiss you for a personal leave,” he continued, factually.

_Could it-, could it be that?_

“Sometimes it’s necessary to take a leave of absence to deal with family matters,” he clarified.

 _No… it-, it can’t be…_ She thought as she only nodded to him.

“Are you leaving shortly?” He asked, his voice careful and full of longing that he felt he didn’t have the right to feel.

“No,” she shook her head. “I’ll be receiving word from home when they deem it necessary. As, for the moment, it’s better that there’s some distance between us. So, there’s no reason to essentially travel the same route at the same time. And besides, I’ve explained my side; now they need to hear his.”

He nodded to her reply. _That’s good. Now I have time to-, to do what precisely?_

She took a step back, intending to leave. “If that is all Sir, I should get back to work. And stop keeping you from yours,” she said while giving him a weak smile.

“Solara?” He asked, her name flowing from him with a bittersweet taste. Oh, how he longed to be able to savour it; to cherish it, but… life was not so kind. Her name, in his mind, wasn’t his to utter with such a tone.

Her eyes widened slight as she heard her name leaving his lips, full of such a vast array of undertones. As if presented on an altar, surrounded by a sea of flowers that she both, could name and those, that she could not. “Yes?” she asked, trying to force the word out of her with her usual tone; giving him a smile in the process.

“How long will you be gone?” His question was drenched in desperation; imploring her to answer. But her inability to do so made her heart twist in her chest.

“It’s difficult to say,” she replied. “It depends a lot on how smoothly everything progresses.”

He nodded to her, unable to comment anything further as he knew that to be true. It wasn’t all up to her.

She took another step back, not knowing what else to tell him. But the act struck a chord in him. It struck the fear he didn’t dare to voice. The absurd though of: _if I let her leave now, I’ll lose her forever._

“Could you… teach me Thean?” he asked, unsure of where the question had even occurred to him.

She halted in her place, turning to him with a raised eyebrow. “You…wish to learn Thean?” she repeated, full of uncertainty. _Why would he wish to learn? Technically language itself isn’t included on the list, so…I could teach him. But then he’d be able to-,_ she internally scoffed to herself at the incomplete thought. _That’s absurd. Clover Kingdom doesn’t have Thean literature, and even if it did, I can’t imagine that there’d be anything crucial. And besides… he wouldn’t-, he wouldn’t do what *he* did. No. Fu-, Captain Vermillion isn’t that kind of a person. So, he wouldn’t. But he might…accidentally tell someone about what he has read. Someone with less integrity._

“Yes,” he confirmed. “I’d like to learn.”

“May I ask why?” she inquired, trying to push the worst possible conclusions away.

“It um,” he paused for a moment. _I can’t just say that I wish to learn her native language, now can I? But…what’d be the harm in that?_ He thought before parting his lips to reply. “The truth is…I wish to be able to converse with you…in your native language,” he admitted as his gaze fell to the side.

 _He… he wants to be able to talk to me? Well... it’s true that languages give perspective into one’s way of thinking, so maybe we could… understand each other better through it._ The thought brought back the warm smile she had been wearing while entering the office, her feelings cascading from her eyes without her noticing it. “Suppose there’s no harm in that,” she replied with the same softness that she felt in the way the golden strings enveloped her heart, once more pleading her to get closer to him. “You wish to learn written or spoken?”

“There’s…? There’s a difference between those two?” He inquired with furrowed brows.

“Not a great difference, but for the written language I’d need to also teach you the script,” she replied with a slightly apologetic smile.

“Oh, of course,” he uttered. “Then, perhaps it’d be more beneficial to begin with spoken language.”

“Hmmm,” she hummed out as a smirk tugged the corners of her lips up. “[Agreed,]” she teased.

His lips mirrored the subtle smirk she wore as he raised an eyebrow. “Meaning?”

“It’s an expression of agreement. So, essentially it means ‘agreed’,” she smiled to him.

“Could you repeat it, please?”

“[Agreed]”, she repeated, to which he frowned in thought.

His lips parted as the tried to wrap his tongue around the unfamiliar syllables, pausing before anything left him. “[Agrd,]” he tried, his brows furrowing deeper.

“No, no,” she began, making her way to him. “Relax your jaw,” she explained, now standing next to him behind his desk.

“[Gred,]” he whispered, turning to her and letting his eyes adore her form; now standing so close to him.

“No…” she shook her head before leaning down. “If I keep my hands here, you should be able to say it without feeling any more pressure from my hands,” she explained while placing her hands on his jawline, on both side of his head. “Let it roll from your tongue,” she continued with a hushed tone.

He opened his mouth only to close it as he swallowed, a faint blush rising to his cheeks before parting his lips once more. “[Agreed,]” he uttered, unable to meet her gaze.

She felt the forming blush on her fingertips, making her retract her hands. “Very good Sir,” she uttered, her voice cracking a bit. “Forgive me, I was… to frank,” she apologized, turning her gaze away from him.

“No, it-, um, it worked accordingly,” he uttered while trying to calm down his racing heart. _Her skin is so soft… I-, just…_ His jaw clenched once more as he tried to contain himself.

“Perhaps…we ought to schedule an actual lesson,” she began, her gaze shifting back to him as she took a deep breath, trying to be as subtle about it as possible. But her heart, trying to leap out of the cage it was in, made it difficult. And he had noticed, if only he hadn’t been too preoccupied with his own.

“Yes, that seems like the most sensible option,” he agreed. “I’ll…see to our schedules and give you a few suggestions.”

She nodded to him before uttering out: “very good Sir.” A brief silence lingered in the air as she tried to gather herself; him doing the same. “Was there anything else?” She asked, as she gazed to the ceiling, trying to calm down her breathing.

“No,” he replied in whispers; his eyes turned to the side.

“In that case, am I-, am I dismissed, Sir?” She breathed out as her entire body tensed.

He hummed out in agreement, to which Solara nodded before heading out of the door. Both feeling lightheaded during the brief moment before there was again a door between the two; separating the into their own worlds of thoughts.

 _By the gods…what am I doing? I can’t just… But that is a valid way to guide annunciation… No, no, I shouldn’t have. But he…felt so warm and I-_ she thought as she leaned against the door; her body starting to tremble as she bit down her molars and hid head face to her hands. _We are worlds apart. And he… I’m just a subordinate to him. A subordinate who’s here just for a while. Though suppose that since he has expressed a wish to learn about our culture, we could slowly build towards an alliance. Slowly. One step at a time._ She uncovered her face, taking a deep breath, and straightened her posture. Her lips were tugged up into a melancholic smile as she started making her way down the hall. _He’s so much better than I am; out of my reach. But… at least I get glimpses of it. Glimpses of his warmth._ She thought once more feeling him to be the distant, unattainable stardust that the sun could never have; but only if she had remembered… that sun is also a star.

Meanwhile Fuegoleon sat by his desk, feeling her mana lingering just on the other side of the door; resting his head against his hands as he stared into the depths of the wooden surface. _She’ll… teach me. Suppose that’s good enough for now. Maybe she’ll feel more inclined to stay with this. Maybe… she’ll come back sooner._ He let out a sigh, feeling the void inside of his heart only grow as his mind started plummeting back into the events and newly gained information of yesterday. _I just…don’t want her to leave…_ he thought, while knowing that she had to. Nausea building up inside of him as he remembered the look on Selena’s face; the dread and the thoughts she feared to voice, the fear for her sister’s sake. _I want to keep her here…_ he thought as he remembered the apologetic smile Solara had worn; seemingly not as concerned for her own safety. _I don’t want her to…die…_ he thought as he remembered how the setting sun had painted her complexion with red.

_Please…_

_Stay…_ he whispered, in his mind.


	15. Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter Solara does a little bit of wrestling with her own thoughts; memories flashing through her mind. Only to have an encounter the following night, tension building in the air as two people finally admit their feelings to themselves; more or less.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I'm pushing out chapters really close to each other atm, but this chapter has been sitting in my drafts for a good while now; so I do hope that you enjoy.   
> And do stay in tune for what follows.... ;)  
> After all, it can't be just as simple as that  
> This chapter is steamy, but nothing explicit takes place

Solara could feel the lack of sleep starting to weigh her down along with everything that would happen, or might happen. Though mostly the worry was caused by all the possibilities that hadn’t become a reality just yet; making her tumble deeper and deeper into the sea of less than favourable possibilities, down to the point where, in the wee hours of the night, she nearly sided with Selena’s fears. But every time, after every night, the sun still rose into the sky, casting those thoughts to the side.

 _No, there’s a world of difference between where it’s now, and what Lena fears._ She’d think and sigh, allowing light, no matter how faint, surround herself. _Things will sort themselves out,_ she assured herself. _Life has a habit of doing that. Just like 20…_ she hesitated for a moment, biting down her molars as an image of a scar flashed through her mind. A scar that ran from the right shoulder all the way down a back onto the left hip; reaching deep within the muscles. _Just like 10 years ago…_ She hesitated once more as the memories of smelling something burning…sound of someone screaming… the sensation of something warm dripping down her arm reached her. _Life…has a way of sorting things out…Life has a way of…moving forward, even if we’d be reluctant to do so. All we can do is endure it, deal with it…_ She took a deep breath. _All we can do is deal with it. Even if the hardest thing one ever needs to do is deal with that which scares them. But it’ll make you all the stronger. Every time I overcome something; I can say that I’m stronger than that which tried to devour me; throw me into the darkness of a pitch-black void._ Her train of thought halted for a moment. _But then again, did I not once upon say that too?_ She thought as another memory coursed through her, which was followed by something her father once told her: _“Every sun is set in darkness, and yet they shine. Because they do not reflect the light of others. They are their own light.”_ She chuckled to herself. _That’s true._

So, she went through the motions for that day as well, sitting by her desk to find a document on which laid a name that made her brows furrow in wonder. _‘Devil banishers’ huh?_ She let her eyes dance over the lines, focusing on everything it had to offer. _I see; the aftermath, the turmoil is beginning to shine through._ Her expression was washed with melancholy as she continued to read, only to let out a heavy sigh and start going through her work for the day.

\---

Solara walked down the empty corridors, the floor feeling cool under her feet as she rubbed her eyes. _Do I really need to have a glass of water this badly…?_ she pondered to herself as she drowsily made her way forward, letting her feet do the thinking in her place. She hoped that they’d take her to her destination, so she yawned, trying to remember what she’d have instore the next day. The schedule running flowing through her mind, clearing the dust in her eyes. She stopped and looked around. _This is nowhere near the kitchen…_ she sighed to herself. _What was I thinking? Well actually I know fully well what I was thinking, but just… ugh_. She rubbed her temples and turned around, but was stopped by a yell that pierced through the darkness.

Her heart stopped and eyes shot open as she knew that voice. It was… Fuegoleon… She bolted from the spot, no thoughts, just a drive to get to him as fast as possible. Her heart sinking deeper in her chest, the strings around it being wrapped tighter and tighter until she was sure it might tear open. But pain was not what she felt, as all she could focus on was the direction of his yell, her eyes only seeing the path that was laid before her. She could not think as her feet carried her forward, only feeling the suffocating dread of arriving too late. _Please no…_ she whispered in her mind; a silent prayer slipping from her as she feared to finish the thought, the cause of her prayer.

She burst through his door, her mana fluttering around her, ready to fight whatever had caused him to yell out in such agony. But what she saw, surprised her, making her brows furrow slightly as she glanced around the room hastily. Her eyes finding nothing else in the room. Nor did se feal unfamiliar mana; there was only Fuegoleon.

He sat on his bed, his head hanging low as his hand was placed where his right arm should’ve been, and his skin glistening as sweat dripped down. His gaze shot to hers, eyes full of terror. Their gazes lingered for a brief second before she let hers wander around the room, still wanting to make sure there was no one else in the room. Her mana calmed down, her fury and terror dispersing, leaving only worry behind. She gazed back to Fuegoleon, taking a few steps closer.

“Is everything alright?” she asked, worry like honey coating her lips.

“I-,” he paused and cleared his throat, unable to look at her and instead buried his face into his hand. “Yes…You just… got to sleep. I’m alright.” His voice was weak and shaky, unlike anything she had heard before and it tore through her chest and carved out her heart.

“Sir…?” She uttered as her hand reached towards him by instinct, but all he did was lower his hand and swallow, turning his head to her. But his eyes didn’t lift from the sheets as he tried to catch his breath, chest heaving and an occasional shiver running down his body. His lips parted as he searched for words, but nothing came out. He buried his face into his hand once more, and she couldn’t, for the life of her, bring herself to leave the room. So, she backed just enough to close the door before hurrying to him.

His head barely lifted, but she saw him glancing at her from the corner of his eyes.

“I really am fine,” he tried, but there was nothing convincing in his tone. He shook like an autumn leaf, still grasping onto the tree from which it hung before being blown off by the wind.

“I’m sorry Sir, but you’re not being very convincing,” she whispered as she sat on the edge of the bed.

His body was hunched, but slowly it straightened as he tried to get a hold of himself, his hand lowering down onto the sheets with a clenched fist. His heavy breath piercing through the silence. Seeing him like that… it felt like someone was trying to carve out the fragments of her heart that still laid in her chest and grabbing her by the neck so that she struggled to breath.

“Sir…?” she cooed without realizing it, and took a hold of his hand before she was able to stop herself. Her eyes searched for his, ready to meet his gaze whenever he’d allow for it.

His eyes travelled with her hand, following the gentle hold she had of him. Her skin felt like the soft caresses of morning’s light cascading onto the floor, her thumb massaging circles onto the back of his hand. And though her hold was careful, as if she was asking if she could, he didn’t want her to let go. He wanted to grasp onto her hand and pull her closer, but he couldn’t. _I can’t. She… She’s not mine to hold…_ He clenched his jaw as he couldn’t either bring himself to retract his hand from hers nor ask her to stay, and yet his eyes travelled up her form until they met hers. His sheer force of will being the only thing keeping his emotions from rolling down his cheeks, for the sincere worry that was reflected from her divine green eyes, from which specks gilded hope glittered, bright as rays of dawn after a pitch-black night.

He forced himself to tear his eyes away from her, biting down his molars as his heart clenched in his chest, the pain of his nightmare coming second to having to push her away. _She’s just trying to be kind. And she is, but I can’t… She doesn’t see me like that and I would rather keep her close as a squad mate than give her any more reasons to leave. But I- no, it’s not proper._ As he battled with his thoughts, Solara couldn’t look away from him, seeing that he battled, but thought that his conflict was purely because of pride.

_He doesn’t want to admit it; not being alright. And I- I do understand, but this’ll be just between us and allowing himself to accept help won’t make him any lesser. But… am I just thinking that for selfish reasons? I do want to hold him and care for him, but would that really be more for my sake or his?_ She frowned as she wasn’t quite certain of what to do, but as he opened his mouth to say something, but once more failing to find suitable words, she made her mind. “You want to ask me to something?” She asked, the question fluttering to him with fragile wings, landing on him as if a faint kiss that brought his eyes back onto hers.

He swallowed as his eyes briefly shifted from her, spilling the secret that he held. “Yes…” he admitted with a forced whisper as his brow furrowed.

“Then ask,” she implored, seeing how her words twisted and turned around his heart, making him turn his head away from her, but still his hand lingered on hers without an effort to pull away from her.

“It’s not proper…” he mumbled to himself, an action which confirmed Solara’s suspicions.

“You wish to ask me to spend the night?” The words lingered in the air between them as nothing more than silent breaths which made them unable to look each other in the eye as they both knew what they desired, but which they couldn’t ask for.

“I can’t,” he whispered, the syllables flowing through the air as more traces of words than an actual statement.

“Why?” she asked instinctively, not taking the time to process his reply, her question making a trace of a frown that oozed desperation and dread, pass his complexion.

“Because you’d be seen leaving my room in your nightgown in the morning,” he stated frankly, his hand grasping onto hers without him realizing it. His brows were furrowed and his eyes radiated worry, and such sorrow that she felt his pain as hers; finding herself to be taken aback by the gravity of his tone. And yet, once she had recovered, her expression was washed over by a gentle smile.

“And?” she paused while her thumb continued to draw circles to the back of his hand. “You seem to think that it’d tarnish me,” her words dripping down like forbidden elixir that he craved, his throat feeling like desert sand and her affection being the only water that could quench his thirst.

 _I can’t… I can’t look at her, because how… if I did, how am I supposed to restrain myself? I just- Even if- She doesn’t, but if by some miracle she did- I would want to do it properly. Not like this. Yes, I want her to lay down next to me and hear her breathing next to my ear, lulling me to sleep. By god, how I wished that she would, even if just for a few seconds, she’d wrap her arms around me and I could press my head against hers. Her silken hair caressing my skin, and her soft embrace… I- But I can’t. She deserves more than this. She deserves more than me needing to feel her warmth. Her warmth… and that gentle hum of her that never fails to lure me closer to her. I- what would I not give if I could, if I could need her tonight. But I can’t as she’s not mine…._ His jaw quivered as he thought, squeezing his eyes shut as he bit down his molars; his head still turned away from her.

“Fuegoleon…” it was the first time she had uttered his given name without his title, and ah, what sweet agony it brought him. His heart cried of joy as his head tried to distance himself from her. He manifested his fire arm and hid his face, while his hand that still held onto her, still refused to let go. “You can’t sully me. You can’t tarnish me or my reputation,” she paused as a smile formed on her lips as she thought about how much he wished to protect her honour. “You imply that seeing me leaving your room in the morning would create an impression of you having touched me, and I won’t deny that it wouldn’t imply such a thing… But, your hands… They are not stained and they cannot taint me. No hands could do so unless I allowed for it, because my dignity, pride and worth are things that can never be taken from me, unless I hand them over.” Another silence fell between them, the motion of her thumb ceasing as she swallowed, her heart trying to break through her ribcage and her stomach twisting. “Your hands… they are clean an you’re with pure intentions.” She lifted his palm on her cheek and closed her eyes, feeling his warmth spearing over her complexion before continuing: “Your touch could never tarnish anything…” She knew that which she was doing, the action spoke with such gravity that she could not hide the meaning behind it, but she didn’t want to.

His mind became empty as he felt her soft skin under his palm. He unveiled his eyes and turned to look at her, which proved to be fatal. The moment he looked at her, her tender smile and her hands holding his… he knew for sure that his heart wasn’t his anymore. It was hers, and so it’d stay. She opened her eyes, moonlight cascading over them, making the specks of gold glitter as if before him would’ve been a goddess in mortal flesh. He leaned closer to her, his mind staying still as his heart took over, and she did the same. She wrapped her arms around him, letting him sink into the embrace before laying down on the soft sheets. What nightmares he might’ve had, were forgotten as all that now existed was her heartbeat piercing through the darkness. Her hand running across the skin of his back as she hummed a tune, pressing her head against his as he closed his eyes and listened.

 _This must be heaven,_ he thought as he felt sleep creeping up on him.

He pulled her closer into his embrace, wrapping his arm around her before dispelling his fire arm and allowing himself to drift off. Her warmth, her voice, and her gentle heartbeat banishing all the wrong in his world and quieting his raising mind. _I love her…_ being the final thought that ran through him before sleep took over, but his embrace never faltered.

She could only smile as she was finally able to hold him so close, feeling his heart against hers. Everything that she didn’t dare to ask for, was now right there, in her arms, and nothing could’ve made her happier. It was only as she heard a change in his breathing pattern, telling of his silent slumber, did she dare to cease the movement of her hand and fall asleep as well, her smile still imprinted onto her lips.

\---

Early morning came, Fuegoleon waking at his usually time well before anyone else. Despite the nightmares that he had experienced during the early parts of the night, he felt light, not remembering the last time he had slept so well. His eyes fluttered open, revealing the complexion of the goddess laying next to him. Their arms were still wrapped around each other, imploring the other to stay and making him feel such tranquillity.

All he saw was her. All he could hear was the sound of her steady breathing in the silence, and all he could feel was her warmth. His hand moved to brush off a few strands of her hair from her face, his touch soft as feathers. _She’s so beautiful. And she’s so good to me._ His gaze shifted out of the window for a second before returning to her. _Everybody is still asleep, so she could still make it back to her room, unseen. Then there’d be no rumours flying about. Though I’d like to think that my knights wouldn’t spread them, but something might slip up by accident. So, it’d be better if she went back to her room, right? Yes. That way she’d still have her reputation intact. She’s not the kind of a person to do one-night-stands and she shouldn’t get such a reputation. No. She doesn’t deserve that._ Slight pain pierced through him as he thought about waking her up, not wanting to disturb her peaceful sleep. But the urge to protect her honour tugged harder in his chest, so he placed his hand to her side as he manifested his fire arm and propped himself up with it.

“Solara?” he called out, her name flowing past his lips so gently, almost afraid of it breaking and how it caressed his tongue, making him want to savour it. For her name was the sweetest thing he knew, and saying it felt almost like a violation, as if he wasn’t worthy of calling her by it.

He got no reaction, so he nudged her gently, calling out to her once more, wanting to feel her name pass his lips again. But all she did, was turn to her side and snuggle closer to him, letting out a hum. He felt his heart clench as he wanted nothing more than to be able to wrap her into his embrace once more, but which was something he couldn’t do. So, he tried again, but with no result. _She’s a quite heavy sleeper, I see,_ he thought as a smile curled onto his lips. _But I need to do something. Otherwise, people might get the wrong idea._ His smile fell as he tried to think of a solution, but finding himself captivated by her, making his thoughts muddle.

 _I suppose I could carry her to her room…_ He wondered, looking at the clock by his nightstand. _If I hurry, then I’m able to do that._ And with that, he made up his mind, slipping out of bed and going through his morning routine, trying to hurry each step to buy himself some time.

Taking a last look into the mirror, he concluded that if he was seen by his knights, they wouldn’t be able to tell that something was off. So, he glanced at the clock. _Good, I still have time._ He sighed in relief as he walked over to the bed, seeing the steady heaving of Solara’s chest as she was still blissfully asleep. “Solara,” he began as he nudged her one more time, seeing if she’d wake up. “Let’s get you to your room,” he continued as she still seemed to be in deep sleep.

He took a hold of her, taking her into his arms and resting her head against his chest with a bright smile. Her scent, laced with a hint of jasmine, lingered in the air and the sound of her breathing made him unable to do anything but smile. _She’s so lovely,_ the strings of faith tying tighter around his heart as he wanted to just hold her like that and not let go, but instead forced himself to turn around and make his way to the door. The handle proving to be a tad bit difficult, costing him some valuable minutes as he fumbled with it. As he was about to groan in frustration, it finally bent to his will and he was able to make it out into the hallway.

His heavy steps echoed around the corridor as he didn’t want to hasten them too much in fear of rousing suspicion, but still trying to keep up a good pace. A small sigh of relief left him as they passed Randal’s room, him being the second one up and awake on most days. His mana sensing heightened as he tried to detect anyone approaching them, but felt nothing. And yet, the journey had never felt longer, even if each step brought them closer and closer. Until they were finally there. Outside her door.

 _And now for the tricky part…_ he thought as took a deep breath before trying to open the door. Seconds ticked away, feeling like minutes, and minutes feeling like hours. Each time his attempt failed, he could feel his stomach twisting, but he tried again, and again, and again. Feeling his nerves to be tested for the first time in a long while, until the door swung open, relieving tension from him.

He walked in and pushed the door closed behind him. “We made it,” he smiled to her as he took a moment to admire her sleeping form before making his way to her bed. The covers were slightly pulled to the side as she had gotten out of bed during the night, so he was able to lay her down onto the sheets, soft as a feather. A hum escaped her as she was out of his embrace, making him freeze in place. _Why am I afraid of waking her up now?_ He frowned to himself, but carried on.

He placed her on her bed and pulled the covers over her, tugging her in with a tender smile on his lips. His gaze cascading over her; watching her peaceful form. Her chest rising and falling as her steady breathing was the only sound he heard; the sight that was before him being the only one he wished to see at that moment. If only he could, he would have liked to lay back down with her and play with her hair, twirling a lock around his finger while watching her slumber. But he couldn’t. It would’ve served against carrying her back to her room. So, he pulled the blanket over her, hunching over her in the process. And before he knew it, he already leaned closer to her; his lips pressing a soft kiss on her temple.

Once his lips left her skin, he froze for a moment. _Why, why did I do that? I-, she’s still not mine… But… I wish she was…_ He thought as he straightened his back, still taking a moment to admire her. “Sleep well,” he wished her before taking a few steps backwards towards the door. His gaze staying on her all the time, almost as if he was afraid that she might disappear if he turned his gaze away. And, right before closing the door to leave, he took one last glimpse of her. _Sleep well…_ He thought.


	16. A desk and a dungeon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took a little bit longer than the last couple of ones, but it’s here finally. And in this chapter we cover the “morning after” as well as introduce, though by a name-drop only, a new character (that isn’t my own original creation) 😉 but instead belongs to a wonderful mutual of mine on Tumblr 🥰 Also, there's a new mission that should be embarked on, but the question is: who will go?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this far ^_^ It's nice to know that I'm keeping you interested! And a special thanks to everyone who've left comments <3  
> Warnings: the f-word is dropped once  
> Additional notes: The name-dropped OC, Tani, belongs to @succulentsunrise on Tumblr and all credits of said character belong to her

Sleep started subsiding from Solara as she felt colder than a moment before, her hand reaching onto the other side of the bed in search of Fuegoleon. But all she felt brushing against her hand were the soft, cold sheets. She curled up around herself, wrapping the covers tighter around herself while still letting one of her hands roam around. The tips of her fingers stretching out, trying to reach as far as possible, but still, coming up empty.

Her eyes fluttered open as she tried to search for that was missing, but sight did not uncover that which she wished to see. For she was alone, in her room. His warmth being replaced by the coolness of the sheets, even if she was tugged safely under covers; something that wouldn’t be a reality, had she slept in the same bed all throughout the night. And, what had happened last night, wasn’t a realistic dream. She knew as much.

So, she let her eyes scan around the room, only to see everything in place, just as she had left them. Every *thing* was in its place, and nobody was there, except for herself. _Why,_ she thought as she lifted herself up, letting the blanket slide off of her; the cool air licking her skin. Her gaze still moving around, holding onto the faint hope that he might still be somewhere around. But as she laid her feet onto the cold floor, what warmth might have still been there, now seeped away from her, taking hope along with it. _I mean, we…we did talk about the underlying impressions for a moment. But-, I did tell him that-. Just why? So, people might have concluded some things, but would it really have mattered? Especially if we had owned up to it? Shown that it wasn’t just sleeping around. Yes, nothing happened… Not in that way at least, but- I just-_ She let out a sigh as she got up and started changing into her uniform.

 _Did I not make my feelings clear to him?_ She questioned, the soft fabric of her clothes wrapping tightly around her; and yet she shivered. _Did I not say that he couldn’t tarnish me or my reputation?_ She brushed her hair and tied it half-up. _Did I not… What was it that I didn’t do?_ She wondered as she started making her way down to breakfast.

The same smiling faces greeted her in the dining hall, with one addition. _Out of all the mornings, he joins us on this one?_ She let her gaze travel around, skipping over his, as she pulled her chair back and sat down.

“Good morning,” she answered to the wishes she had received, a bright smile decorating her lips. After all, they hadn’t caused the tensing of her muscles and the swirling emotions building up in her chest, making her feel as if she was cast aside. Heavy clouds hanging above her head, just as she had thought that maybe, just maybe, her and him could be. Making her feel like the golden strings of fate had started weaving their hearts together in the dead of the night, but instead of being woken in his warm embrace, she was slapped by a cold bed, a cold room and …waking up alone. Making her feel like her love didn’t suffice, and it ate her. It started from the pit of her stomach and crawled all the way up to her chest, gnawing her, consuming her. But, for whatever reason, it didn’t chew through the strings. No, her heart was still stitched together, even though it only added to her pain. All it did, was give her heart more room to cry and fill that forming void with the tears of her heart.

“Good morning,” Fuegoleon still greeted with a soft tone, to which Mereo quirked an eyebrow, despite neither of the two noticing it. His words fluttered to her with gentle, fragile wings, but instead of being allowed to land onto her complexion and caress her ears; they thumbed against her, barely reaching her.

“Good morning,” she replied; her tone stripped of the warmth it had had a moment ago, her smile fading along with it. _You seem almost proud… Why is that?_

The look she gave him, washed away his smile, and instead a confused frown overtook him. _I- She’s again looking at me like that… I did make the right choice, didn’t I?_

Meanwhile, Mereo’s gaze shifted between the two. _They’re again acting like a bunch of brats. How difficult can it be to just admit to each other that you have feelings for each other?! I swear, if something doesn’t happen between you two soon, I’m going to tie you together until you confess._ She thought as she stayed silent and continued to observe them for the rest of breakfast; watching as they retreated inside of themselves. A sheet of glass forming between the two, separating them. _I turn my back for second and it’s back to this…_ Mereo sighed internally. _Fuego won’t address it immediately. He’ll want to ‘think about it’ first. Whatever ‘it’ is. And she’ll probably do the same. Honestly, even toddlers are more outspoken about their emotions. What a couple of dimwits._ She sneered. _I knew they’d perfect for each other._

\---

“Solara? Got a second?” Mereo inquired as she was walking back to her office.

“Hm? Sure,” she replied as she turned to her friend.

“What’s going on between the two of you?” Mereo raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms; her expression telling her that there was no use in trying to deny it.

“I-,” she began, only to sigh in defeat. “It’s … complicated.”

“No, it isn’t.” Mereo replied frankly.

Solara let out another sigh as her brows furrowed; her gaze falling to the side. “He…carried me to my room.”

Mereo stayed silent, her eyebrow still raised and gaze fixed on her.

“He…um… had a nightmare and I ended up hearing it, and barding into his room,” she paused for a while, trying to chew the next statement before speaking it out in a hushed tone. “And I ended up spending the night. Or most of it at least.”

“So, you fucked?”

“No!” She exclaimed, only find herself gazing around afterwards to see if anyone was around to hear. And as she didn’t see anyone around, nor did she feel any other mana too close by, she sighed in relief. “No,” she repeated. “We…cuddled…and in the morning I found myself from my own bed.”

“Hmm…” Mereo hummed, which was followed by a scoff. “Idiot,” she muttered.

“I mean, I think I do understand why… because most people would make the same assumptions as you did, had I left his room in the morning… But I would have preferred to…wake up in the same place I fell asleep…” she admitted, her gaze falling back to the side.

“Mhm,” Mereo nodded. “But I’m not the one you should be telling that.”

“That’s true,” Solara admitted with yet another sigh, while Mereo looked at her expectantly. “You mean… now?”

“Well since you asked, no. How about in 30 years when you’ll have one foot in the grave?” Mereo commented, sarcasm pricking through her statement.

Solara’s brows furrowed for a moment, feeling the comment to be uncalled for. _She could’ve put it nicely, but… she’s not wrong._ “You have a point,” she admitted, taking a deep breath.

Mereo nodded to her, her gaze still fixed on Solara; waiting for her to start making her way towards Fuegoleon’s office.

So, Solara started turning around, but halted mid-turn. “I haven’t seen you around that much during the last couple of days. Is something going on?” She inquired; a slightly worried frown rising to her face.

Mereo stayed silent for a while, as if pondering if the question was meant as a distraction. But concluded that it wasn’t Solara’s intention. “I’ve been spending time with Tani, if you must know,” Mereo replied, a veil of softness rising over the lioness’ eyes.

“Hmmm?” Solara hummed, a small smirk rising to her lips. “I don’t think you’ve mentioned her before,” she teased.

Mereo shrugged to her statement. “It never came up.”

“Well, I’d love to hear more about her. Later. When there’s time to properly sit down and talk,” Solara smiled.

“Then why don’t you just join us for drinks on some day?” Mereo inquired with a faint smile.

“Not beating around the bush, I see,” Solara chuckled. “I’d love to.”

A moment of silence fell between them, speaking of mutual understanding.

“Aren’t you supposed to go somewhere?” Mereo asked, her tone tender as she thought about something, or someone.

“I am,” Solara chuckled, finally turning around; a smile printed on her face as she thought about the smile Mereo had been wearing.

\---

Solara lifted her hand to knock at the captain’s office door, only to again hear: “come in,” before her knuckles made contact with the wooden surface. She couldn’t help but feel the corners of her mouth tugging up, even if an apology was painted over her expression. Her heart starting to race once more as she opened the door, seeing him behind his desk and his gaze turned to her; veiled with hesitation.

“Do you have a moment?” She inquired, her voice tender and her eyes reflecting an apology.

His eyes showed a glimmer of relief as he nodded, a shadow of a smile rising to his lips. “Please,” he stated, gesturing towards the chair opposite to him.

The corners of her lips tugged further up, even if sorrow still lingered in her eyes as she closed to the door and made her way to the chair. Her gaze shifting around to everywhere but him as she wondered how to begin. But despite the turning of her uncertainty, the air didn’t feel heavy and suffocating. Rather, what was in the air, was a sense of anticipation.

Her eyes lifted to look at him as she sat there, in front of him, her ankles crossed and back straight, while he was leaning against his arms; his fingers crossed under his chin. His gaze was to the distance, without focus, just looking into somewhere far away. They stayed quite for a moment before she spoke up.

“I… wanted to talk about yesterday and…um…” she began, still having little idea on where to start.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized, filling the pause and making her gaze search for his.

“I’m sorry?” she repeated, to which he nodded.

“I wanted to protect your integrity, but I see that my attempts had an unintended outcome-“

“Fuegoleon…” she said, his name falling from her lips like it had last night, gently and tenderly as she leaned closer to him. Her hand reaching for his.

His gaze turned to her as he let his palms lower down, his arm extending closer to hers across the desk as if pulled by her eyes alone. “Yes?” He whispered before swallowing, his hand entwining with hers.

“I’m the one who should apologize…” she admitted, feeling the flames of his hand caressing her hand. “I know that you meant to do that, and it was out of… the best of intentions. But it did make me feel…cast aside-“

He frowned, his hand grasping onto hers. “That wasn’t my intention,” assured her.

“I know,” she nodded, giving him a reassuring smile. “It’s just that,” she paused, searching for the right words. “I thought I told you that I don’t… care about people drawing those conclusions. Since, people will always find a reason to talk, and they really can’t devalue me unless I allow it… And, I do think that, even if gossip would’ve started flying around, that people would grow tired of it if they saw… that it was more than just one night. *Given* that nothing happened, but…”

“But something did happen,” he corrected with a hushed tone.

Her brows furrowed in confusion as she stared at him; her hand tensing up in his.

“No, not like that,” he emphasised. “But… it did mean something, didn’t it?”

She blinked, his question hitting her with its absurdity. _I…made it clear to him that I care for him and still he needs to ask?_ She thought before letting out an amused laugh. “I’m sorry,” she chuckled, waving of with her free hand. “It’s just that… I thought I made it clear last night,” she said, her thumb drawing circles to the back of his hand, letting his flames envelope it.

He let out a sigh of relief, a tender smile tugging his lips up. “Then I suppose… that it wouldn’t be unwelcomed if I asked you out for dinner?”

“No…” she whispered. “I’d like that,” she continued, her gaze lifting to his.

“I’m glad to hear that,” he smiled.

“Maybe we can combine language lessons with dinner,” she joked, making him let out a chuckle.

“It would make it slightly easier, in terms of our schedules, to indeed combine them,” he agreed with amusement. “But, it would mean less time to spend with you,” he continued, his gaze shifting to the side for a brief moment.

“Hmmm…” she hummed with a smile, her eyelids closing halfway. “True…” she cooed. “And if we can afford to do that… I’m not opposing…” The words rolled from her tongue, flowing past her lips; making him swallow.

His throat felt dry. His head felt light. His eyes travelling over her, trying to imprint it all into his memory; her tender gaze, soft lips, the way her hand fit into his. But so much of it all slipped past him, as he felt as if he was being pulled closer to her. Something tugging his heart, imploring it to come closer. Cooing to him, singing to him with tunes that he had never known; tunes that he couldn’t hear with his ears. Tune that he felt as vibrations in his heartstrings. A song that his soul recognized. _“Oh, there you are. I’ve been waiting around for you, silly. Where have you been? I missed you,”_ the tune seemed to say, whispering to him with a quiet familiarity. _This damn desk is in the way,_ he thought.

Her head felt dizzy. Her lips felt lonely. Her eyes exploring his features as she battled the will to circle around his desk and press herself against him. The same tugging of strings prominent in her heart. The same song and tune ringing loud as ever in her soul, just as in his. Almost as if the previous, soft whispers of the walls, imploring her to stay, making her feel a sense of familiarity, was now intensified. Or rather, perhaps it had been nothing more than an echo, bouncing off the walls. And now she could hear it loud and clear, telling her that this was where she belonged; with him. _Why must this desk be right there?_ She thought to herself.

“Aniue!”

Both of them jolted slightly in their seats, pulling their hands back as the door flung open. Their heads turning to Leo, who was now standing in the doorway.

“Leo, please knock before you enter my office,” Fuegoleon reminded with a stern tone.

“But I felt only yours and Solara aneue’s mana in here, so I wasn’t interrupting anything important,” Leo remarked.

“The fact that you know us both, doesn’t mean that we can’t be in the middle of an important discussion,” Fuegoleon corrected.

“Were you?” Leo asked; his question was sincere and without underlying impressions.

“It doesn’t matter,” Solara said, butting into the conversation. “So, is there something you need?”

“I was just wondering who’s coming with me to explore the recently discovered dungeons in the common realm.”

“I haven’t decided yet,” Fuegoleon replied. “I was about to go over the possibilities, but there are multiple factors I need to consider. We’re still recovering from the Midnight Sun’s attack, there’s another movement lifting its head, and the dungeon in question, based on initial assessments, might prove to be more complex than it would initially seem. Thus, it would be best if the individuals in question would be high ranking. I’m assigning Ruben as one of them, but am debating on who else should still join the two of you,” he explained.

“I’ll go,” Solara suggested.

“Hm?” Fuegoleon uttered, raising his eyebrow.

“Personally, I do think that I’d be a viable candidate. I can hold my own in a fight, I’ve done my fair share of travelling, meaning that I do have experience in adapting to unexpected situations. My duties here can be postponed since the work that I do was previously a part of yours and Randal’s usual workload,” she reasoned. “And besides, it’s been a while since I’ve been up and about,” she continued with a smile.

Fuegoleon stayed silent for a moment, thinking about his possibilities. _She does have a point, several of them. But I would rather keep her here. And chances are that she’d receive word to go back home, in which case it’s possible that she’d leave immediately without coming back. Though… she does have a reason to return,_ he thought, a soft smiling rising to her lips. _Thus, my reluctance to send her out is based on purely personal reasons, which I should avoid…_ He gazed to her for a moment, before replying: “you make a good point.”

“So I’m going on a mission with Solara aneue?!” Leo exclaimed with happiness.

“So it seems,” Solara answered turning to look at Leo.

“I’ll go tell Ruben!” Leo still yelled out before turning around and running off; leaving the door wide open.

Silence fell back into the room, the light dimming down, caused by clouds forming in the sky. His flames appearing more prominent as a result, the warm light dancing over her complexion with the hues of yellow, red and orange.

“It looks like it might rain,” she commented as she gazed briefly outside.

“Then it’d be best if you dress accordingly. I don’t want you catching a cold,” he smiled to her.

“Hmm…” she hummed, flashing him a smirk. “But…if I was cold once I return, I’d need someone to keep me warm…”

“You don’t need to catch a cold I order to be kept warm,” he smirked back.

“I suppose not,” she chuckled while getting up from her chair. “But now I’m being a distraction,” she continued.

His gaze fell down for a moment, knowing that they should indeed continue working, but it didn’t do much for the longing he felt.

 _I know how you feel…_ she thought as she let her eyes cascade over him without moving a muscle to leave.

“No, you’re not. But we should get back to work,” he admitted as his gaze lifted back to hers.

“We should,” she still said as she nodded, her steps finally starting to take her away.

“Oh, I’ll, um,” he still began, making her turn around in the doorway.

“Hm?”

“I have a captains’ meeting later today, and other business to see to, away from the base, tomorrow morning. So, I’ll be gone until you leave.”

“Then we shall see once I return,” she smiled, making one appear on him as well.

A small pause filled the air as he sat there, looking at her. “Look after my brother,” he still said; the statement feeling loose and slightly out of place, of which he was about to scold himself, but as she let out a laugh, he didn’t.

“I will,” she chuckled before closing the door. Butterflies swirling in her stomach, making her feel light as a feather. What troubles she might have had, felt non-existent at that moment, disappearing into the sea of joy and love that now had made home in her chest.

The next day, the bed she woke up in, didn’t feel cold anymore, even if it was missing someone. But since the day it wouldn’t be so anymore, drew closer little by little, she didn’t mind. No, not as she knew that warmth would soon envelope her. She could wait for just a moment longer. It all being just within the grasp of her fingertips; and she was so caught up in the joy of that which was to come, that she failed to see the rain clouds gathering overhead as they approached the entrance to the dungeon. A single rain droplet ran down her cheek as Leo filled the silence that had fallen between the three.

“You know, Solara aneue?”

“Hm?”

“I’ve been thinking that aniue smiles more nowadays,” he thought out loud, looking straight ahead to the entrance of the dungeon; carved into a side of a mountain in the woods.

“Oh?” Solara uttered, glancing to Leo as the corners of her lips tugged up.

“Yeah, I just think that he’s happier than he was before. Though I did ask Mereo aneue about it too, and she seemed to agree with me.”

“I can’t say that I have noticed a change in the Captain,” Ruben began. “But it’s no wonder. And he does have slightly less work on his hands, than what he could have. Especially under the circumstances,” he continued, most likely referring to the piles upon piles of paperwork that never seemed to end. He glanced over to Solara, earning a smile from her.

“I wouldn’t know,” Solara commented absentmindedly, still wearing a smile while they started making their way into the dungeon.

“Can you feel that?” Leo asked, seemingly out of the blue as the three passed the entrance; only the sound of their steps echoing around them. “It’s like… like a-“

“An afterglow of mana?” Solara continued.

“Yeah. Or just really faint mana, but it’s so evenly all around that it seems unnatural,” Leo commented letting his gaze circle around the walls as Solara summoned her mana skin, casting light around.

“It could be dormant mana,” Solara wondered.

“Dormant mana?” Ruben asked as they started making their way forward.

“Yes,” Solara stated. “In living creatures mana is more or less constantly being used, making it feel… ‘more alive’ so to say, and the same applies to nature since nature in itself is alive. Or it is composed of a lot of living organisms. And even if it wasn’t, let’s say like some of the strong magic regions, the volcano for example, it’s so large that everything tends to mix together. It’s like… hmm… light being cast through multiple layers of glass, eventually emerging as a rainbow. But that’s not how dormant mana works. Suppose more commonly you’d find it from magical items, when you’re not using them. It’s… like artificially stored mana, but since it’s usually found in smaller objects, it tends to get clouded by the surroundings,” she explained.

“So, what you’re saying, is that this entire dungeon is like a gigantic magical item?” Ruben asked, furrowing his brows.

“Not exactly, at least most likely not,” Solara began with a thoughtful frown. “Because that would be… extraordinary. A structure of this size being a single magical construct? It seems hard to believe.” She paused for a moment, looking around, even if the only thing in sight was the empty, monotonous walls. “I’d say that there’s something imbedded into the walls and the ceiling. Some kind of a mechanism, would seem more plausible… But still,” she sighed. “It seems…strange… But in any case, be careful. It might mean that there are traps around,” she continued as she glanced over to the two.

They nodded to her, determination blazing in their eyes as they continued their descend.

 _Something embedded into the walls? I mean, it’s possible, but going to that extent…? What were they trying to protect this badly? Of course, there’s a chance that whatever it is, only continues for a while and it doesn’t cover the entire structure. After all, we’ve only entered the premises, but I have an… uneasy feeling about this. This dungeon, it’s not in the neutral zone, nor in the strong magic region, it’s right here, within the borders of Clover Kingdom. It’s old, very old for certain, but just…_ She thought, taking as deep of a breath as she could without the two noticing. _Alright, it’s too early to draw conclusions._

The light that was cast around, made shadows dance on the walls. _We’ll just have to wait and see._


	17. Rocks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chapter revolves around the recent mission to explore the dungeon in the common realm, as well as sets a scene for the next chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya~!   
> This chapter is a short one, yes. And I hope not to take too long with the next one ^_^   
> As always, thank you for reading this far; a special thanks to those who've left comments!

The dormant mana, as they knew it at the moment, had faded away as they had continued their decent, the walls and the floor now tiled and used torches lined on the walls. They had tried to light one, opting to save those that they had brought with them, but it had proven to be near impossible, the torches being soaked through; making them note that there was a lot of collected moisture on the walls.

They entered a larger room; Solara intensifying her mana skin to cast light onto a larger area. The room, seemed like an entrance hall, more than anything. Whatever furniture there might have been, not having corroded and decomposed with time. No runes and inscriptions on the walls; nothing, just an empty room.

“I can’t sense any mana around,” Leo commented while looking around, to which Ruben only nodded, approaching one of the three doors that were in the room. One from where they had come, one to their left and one on the opposite side of the room.

“Which way should we go first?”

“Well, usually the most guarded items are as far away from the entrance as possible, when it comes to individual rooms,” Solara pondered, gazing towards the door on the opposite side.

“That’s true,” Ruben remarked starting to make his way forward, seeming to trust his mana sensing alone.

“Watch where you step.”

“It’s alright, there’s no mana around,” he remarked.

“That doesn’t mean that there can’t be something non-mana reliant,” Solara remarked as she started making her way towards the door as well; making Ruben turn around with a confused frown.

“Oh, is that what you have in Thea?” Leo asked while following Solara.

“Yes,” she began, glancing to Leo. “While living with teyus, it’s become apparent that mana sensing alone isn’t enough,” she continued with a slight pause. “I know that’s not how you do things here, but it’s just something I’ve become accustomed to; knowing that mana alone doesn’t always suffice.”

Leo let out a hum as he thought; Ruben looking no less confused as he waited for the two to approach him.

\---

They started making their way through the corridors, finding several rooms with, what used to be, desks, filing cabinets, miscellaneous instruments … studies; making them conclude that the structure must have been a research facility once upon a time.

“What do you think they were researching?” Leo wondered out loud.

“Probably trying to craft magical items, just like what they’re doing nowadays,” Ruben remarked as their steps echoed around the walls; Solara gazing all around.

“Is something wrong Solara aneue?” Leo inquired, turning to look at her.

“Hmm,” she hummed with furrowed brows before turning to look at Leo. “I just find it strange that there hasn’t been any dormant mana since the entrance.”

“Maybe there was a locking mechanism at the entrance that was controlled with magic,” Ruben suggested.

“Maybe…” Solara agree hesitantly as they started approaching yet another room, which, judging by the way their steps and voices echoed around, was large.

And as they entered through the doorway ahead of them, a large hall was revealed. Tiled floors and mostly smooth walls, but the ceiling seemed to be composed of natural rock formations; another door on the opposite side. There were some signs of damage to the surfaces, seemingly concentrated on given areas only.

“Do you think it’s a training ground of some kind? Or a testing area?” Ruben wondered out loud.

“Possibly a testing area. Or so I think, because if it was a training ground, there’d be damage all around and not only to specific areas,” Solara suggested as they stood at the entrance, moisture glistening from the frames of the doorway. An uneasy feeling gnawing at her.

They took a few steps forward, Leo being the first to notice. “Oh, there’s the faint mana again,” he remarked.

It was true; there was again the faint feel of dormant mana lingering around.

“Do you think that there’s something worthwhile on the other side?” Ruben inquired, more to himself than to anyone else.

“A mechanism to guard something?” Solara asked, looking around, to which Ruben only nodded; his gaze travelling around just as much as hers.

“If they were making magical items and then testing them…” Leo spoke, verbalizing his thoughts. “Then maybe there’s a storage area further ahead.”

“Does it feel like the magic is growing stronger?” Ruben asked, stopping to look around.

Solara and Leo concentrated on the mana, which was indeed intensifying around them gradually; as if each second that ticked away kept adding to the build-up.

“What is that?” Leo asked, looking around, trying to find the source; until there was a faint sound, much like a bell ringing in the air.

“Leo… Ruben… Let’s head back for a while,” Solara managed to utter, the two starting to retreat their steps before there was sound of metal scraping against rock. “Now.”

The two turned around, hasting towards the entrance before there was an ear-piercing rumble up ahead. Large chunks of the ceiling started crashing down, breaking the floor upon impact and revealing a chasm of some kind underneath; the floor tiles as well as the boulders tumbling into the darkness beneath. They should get out of there; and they all knew it. They should get out before the entrance to the room would cave in or be covered with rocks.

As Solara turned around, she could feel her heart missing a beat.

“Leo!” She yelled, dashing closer to him.

And if by some miracle, she pushed him to Ruben, barely evading the large boulder herself; the floor collapsing from under them.

But then she felt it. A blunt pain to her temple, which made everything dark.

She felt weightless. A distant voice; a whisper perhaps. Calling to her. No, that was no place nor the time to call out in whispers. Maybe she was just imagining it. Yes, that must’ve been it. After all, the sound seemed to get further and further away.

_It hurts… Mana skin… I should have my mana skin up…_

The moment felt long, as if she was standing still in time itself. The weight of her own body still unknown to her. Until her back hit against something, making her whinge in pain.

She no longer felt weightless; instead, she was surrounded by something.

_Air… I need air… Open your eyes! Open them!_

She tried to kick and push herself forward, her head reaching through the surface that laid between the two media.

She gasped for air, only to be pulled back under. Her body was swept around, thrown like a ragdoll. Everything still dark around her.

 _Is…this… how I’ll die…?_ She thought as her consciousness started fading away; the tugging and throwing around, she couldn’t feel it anymore. It was as if she was floating, carried away by a gentle stream into the unknown. _I’m sorry… I couldn’t keep… my promise…_ She still voiced, somewhere deep in her mind, flickering out, into the dark.

\---

Ruben managed to grab onto Leo and pull him back into the corridor, dragging him away from the door. The rumble and the crashing sounds covering everything else under it, until even those were muffled by the sound of his own heartbeat ringing in his ears.

The sounds around them ceased, leaving only dust floating in the air along with their breathing. They turned to look around, their mana skins being the only light source, and seeing nothing but rocks. No mana, no light, nothing.

They don’t know how long they stood there, seconds, minutes…time just ticked away without them having a grasp of it.

 _A routine mission_ , Ruben thought.

Leo clenched his fists and grit his teeth. There was no way of digging through those boulders, and even if there was… what would they find? He didn’t want to think about it. He didn’t want to think. There were no memories flashing through his mind, all there was, a was stillness. The dead calm of his thoughts. And perhaps… that was the best.

“Leo, we should go back… to the base,” Ruben said, still trying to grasp what had happened himself.

“Mmm,” he only muttered back in defeat, not knowing what to say. Was there anything that he should say? Was there anything to say? Yet another person had put him before themselves, and it weighed on him; his shoulders barely able to take the weight that had started accumulating onto them. _What do I say to aniue?_

They made it outside where the rain clouds had collected into those foretelling a storm, the entrance still open, but no mana lingering around anymore.

“Maybe the… system used up all the mana that was still in it…” Ruben thought out loud, not really knowing why; perhaps just trying to reason it all to himself, getting no response from Leo.

Rain was falling down outside, beating the ground, making the air seem grey. They began the long way back home; but no matter how long the journey felt, it was still too short. It didn’t grant them the answers to the questions they sought, but instead rose questions; making them wonder if they could have done something more, something else. Was there something they could have done?

Neither of them was able to cry. Instead, they let the rain drops, clashing against their complexions, roll down and do the part.

\---

The walls of the base seemed to close in on them; the air feeling both hollow and suffocating at the same time. Neither Leo or Ruben quite knew what to say; the words seemed to choke them, getting stuck into their throats as they kept walking forward with their heads hanging low. Their eyes were glazed over, and their minds ran empty while they clenched their jaws. What were they supposed to say? Just how were they supposed to tell the Captain of what had happened?

The same question Leo found asking himself too often, played in his mind: “ _Why is everyone protecting me?”_ Tears started forming in his eyes, but he was unable to shed them. The final threshold of letting them roll down his cheeks, he couldn’t cross. No, because it would have made it all too real. It would have made it real.

A part of him was scare of his brother’s reaction. He just didn’t want to say it. He didn’t want to tell Fuegoleon. A sickening feeling rose to his stomach as the dread intensified; the two of them standing at the Captain’s office door, to which Ruben knocked.

There was no answer. Not even a sound. No flutter of mana.

“Oh… right… they must all be at dinner,” Ruben uttered with a whisper. _It was supposed to be a routine mission_ , he thought before his feet began taking him towards the dining hall.

Leo let out a hum, agreeing to Ruben’s statement, but the sound was weak, barely leaving him. And with that he started following Ruben, who instead turned around.

“I’ll take care of it,” he tried, forcing a grimacing image of a smile onto his lips.

“No,” Leo shook his head; eyes fixed onto the floor.

Ruben wasn’t about to argue, instead he let the smile fall from his face as he turned forward, letting his steps once more echo from the walls. He tried to think; he tried, but all he got was white noise and the memory of a statement: _“Aniue smiles more”_. Which only added to the question: _How am I supposed to tell him? I’ve been in this squad for the longest out of us three… out of those… that left…_

They arrived to the entrance of the dining hall, standing there, side by side and looking forward with glassy eyes. The smiling faces of the squad members, enjoying the dinner.

“Oh, you’re back! How was the mission?” Somebody asked. They weren’t quite sure who, but whoever it was, hadn’t yet turned to look at them. Because, as those smiling faces turned to them one by one, the expressions fell, crashing onto the floor with an empty clang.

Their captain, staring at them, frozen in time. He had a wine glass in his hand, now stationary in the air as all he could do was stare, at the two, out of the three, he had sent out.

Silence settled into the room where no such silence had before been heard, not with that many people.

“I’m sorry Sir,” Rube began.

Fuegoleon swallowed as his hand started to tremble.

“There was…a trap and the room started caving in on us,” he continued, pausing for a moment. “Large rocks started falling from the ceiling and…” the next words got stuck to his throat; he hadn’t needed to do this before. To be the one to deliver the news.

“She pushed me out of the way,” Leo said, his voice cracking with each word.

Fuegoleon didn’t feel the wine glass dropping from his hand. He didn’t notice the red liquid spilling onto the floor and the sound of glass shattering. He didn’t hear whatever words followed the statement: _“She pushed me out of the way_ ”, if there was any. No, everything disappeared from around him; the room, the sounds, and the people. He stared into the distance without seeing anything.

His hand trembled, his mana fluttered and his breathing was slow and heavy. A single thought swirled in his mind, shutting out everything else. The weeping, done only with dry tears, and questions asked in disbelief, it was all nothing to him, as the room was filled with a screaming silence that haunted him, tormented him. In that room, full of people, he was alone as the memory of his last words to her played again, and again in his mind: _“Look after my brother.”_


	18. A pen and a portal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter revolves around the feelings that arise as a result of only a part of the squad returning, dwelling in it to a point. There's also a new OC making an appearance, who can't help but point something out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! ^_^  
> Thank you for reading this far, and (as always) a special thanks to those of you who have left comments. I do hope that I continue to keep you interested.

Night had fallen in the Crimson Lion Kings’ base, but none found it easy to fall asleep; and still, they did, all but one. The Captain found himself either pacing back and forth in his room or sitting in one of the arm chairs in his bedroom, staring into the distance.

He didn’t feel fatigue weighing him down, but instead it was as if his entire body was restless. His bed didn’t call out to him, asking him to rest after a long day. Instead, it stood there, reminding him of one of the previous nights; the scent of jasmine having already faded away, leaving no trace of it and only adding to his pain. He felt as if his heart had been carved out, shredded to pieces that now laid around in his hollow chest, pulsating with what little there was left.

 _I’m so sorry…_ He thought as he tried to climb in, curling onto the very same side she had slept in a few nights ago. He grasped onto the pillow that had once held her head, but felt no trace of her. It was only him and his memories. The image of her, sitting there, looking at him, imploring him to let her in and comfort him. Her eyes glittering in moonlight as her hand caressed his; her soft touch… the melody she hummed… and the way her hands wrapped around him; pulling him close. And he’d get none of it ever again. _Please… I just want to feel close to you again…_

And that was when a thought occurred to him, but he tried to shake it off. Thinking that he had no place to do so. He had no right, even if she was… gone. He shouldn’t… But he wanted to. He craved it. Wished that he could need her again. Wished… that she could need him.

He sat up, letting out a sigh. _I shouldn’t…_ he thought, but still, he stood up and let the golden strings that were still clasping onto the fragments of his heart, tug him with. _But… what if just for tonight…_ He let his legs carry him out of his room and to the door of hers, what had been hers. He stood there for a moment; feeling the absurd need to knock before entering. _She’s not there… she’s not there…_ And yet, he knocked.

The sound was quiet and careful, almost as if the sound itself was asking a question other than “are you there”. But there was no answer. No sound. No whisper. Only the same silence that tormented him, making his ears ring with the emptiness that now surrounded him. And the same silence greeted him as he pushed the door open to reveal the empty bedroom. Her bed was neatly made, her brush laying on her dressing table, and a bag hanging from a chair.

He closed the door and took hesitant steps towards her bed, pushing aside the covers that he had laid on top of her, climbing in; and as soon as he did that, he felt the scent of jasmine enveloping him. He wrapped his arms around her pillow, pulling it closer to his chest and breathing in her scent. _I shouldn’t be here… I shouldn’t be in your bed…but I still feel you here. Please, let me sleep here for tonight._ He closed his eyes, still seeing her image in his mind. _I miss you…_ He could almost hear her voice. _I love you…_ He thought, feeling the weight of his body melting away as he started drifting into sleep; finally feeling like he could do that. _I love you…_

\---

He woke up next morning with his usual rhythm; lifting himself off the bed, even if he felt as if the weight of the heavens themselves rested on his shoulders. But at least he had managed to sleep, even if it was for a few hours; one fleeting moment. And so, he got up and pulled the covers back onto the bed, almost as if he hadn’t been there, almost; closing the door behind him like a thief in the night before making his way back to his own bedroom to start the day. To start the day… And do what it entailed… Fulfil the responsibility he had as her captain: to inform her family of what had happened.

He went through his morning routine, just going through the motions while being unable to shake the knowledge that the moment he’d have to fill in the notice of her death drew closer with each second. The knowledge that he’d have to face the fact that she wasn’t coming back, just as they almost had been _them_. Almost, but not quite. The very word “almost” washing away his will to eat, the will to smile; instead making him want to just stand still and grieve. But he’d need to do this. He’d need to. She’d want him to move forward. That’s what he told himself, but it didn’t ease the feeling.

He sat by his desk, his shoulders slouching forward as a storm raged inside of him. His emotions swirling around, making the fragments of his heart collide with his ribs; each collision sending tremors throughout his body. He felt numb, he felt pressure building up behind his eyes, and he felt devoid of air. The drawer which held the empty, pure, sheets of paper terrified him. And yet he opened it, taking out a single sheet before opening his ink bottle. His pen felt heavy, his entire arm felt slow and sluggish; unwilling to complete the task. But he had to. He owed her that much. He owed her the fact that he’d let her family know. He owed her, and he owed to every single member of her family. But he didn’t feel as if he owed to himself.

The pen was dipped into ink and pressed onto the paper, leaving behind the template form of the notice. He didn’t falter from what the standard issue guidelines dictated that he should write, following each word right down to a T. After all, he knew what to write. He knew how to formulate it, even if it was as bureaucratic text usually is: cold and distant. None of it brought comfort, and it wasn’t meant to do that. It wasn’t designed to ease pain and bring solace, despite the words “display condolences” reading on it. No, the document was as hollow as felt himself to be.

He signed it before taking a look at it; the form still being unfinished. It was missing something; two words that there should still be, but the very two words that were the hardest to write. Everything else, every syllable and turn of the pen came naturally from him; just going through the motions and allowing him to pretend that he was simply copying a document, any document.

But as he let his eyes fall over the already written text, knowing what he should still fill in, he didn’t want to do so. What he couldn’t bring himself to write laid between “As the captain of the Crimson Lion Kings, it is my sad duty to notify you that” and “has fallen”. That empty space tormented him, even terrified him. The context with the name that was missing.

He placed the tip of his pen onto the paper, but as if frozen in place, he couldn’t bring himself to let it slide across the white surface of the document and inscribe her name with ink, dark as night. He took another blank piece of paper and tried to write down her name, succeeding in his effort. His hand drew lines onto the pure white surface, leaving a trace of her, each curve made with care; a process which he was able to repeat. Her name now inscribed over and over again, on the previously blank sheet of paper. And so, he once more placed the tip of his pen onto the notice, but as before. It did not budge. It as if his hand had suddenly weighed as much as the world itself, unmoving and still.

So, he tried again onto another paper. Her name once more staring at him from amidst the white surface, and all he could do was stare back at it. Tears started forming in his eyes; a burning sensation in his throat, making it nearly impossible to breath. His entire body, with the exception of his hand that held the pen, started to shake as her given name was again inscribed with delicate letters.

His pen halted for a moment, ready to begin writing her last, but instead of an E, his hand wrote a different one. One that it hoped to write next to her name, one day, on another occasion. That letter was followed by another, and then another, and another, but by the time “Vermil” decorated the paper, after her first name, his hand shook violently, spilling ink next to the cursive letters.

And so, he pressed his pen down against the paper, leaving it laying next to the unfinished word, unfinished name. He stood up and gazed to the ceiling, fighting back the tears. His feet started taking impatient steps around the room, pacing back and forth with no destination. His gaze was fixed into the distance, pulled by the depths of the floor, and that did not change as he sat down onto the couch that laid under the window. His body slouched forward, as if being pulled by gravity, making him lean against his knees; head hanging low. No thoughts running through his mind. How could there have been? After all, they were being pulled from him by the void in his heart.

\---

Pain, pain to her side. Another, searing pain in her lungs. She rolled to her side; coughing, gasping for air. And each time she did so, there was a piercing pain on her left side. But, despite the pain, her body needed air, and thus she needed to cough, making room for oxygen.

“[Good. You’re awake,]” said a familiar voice next to her.

 _Grandmother Idalia?_ She thought, unable to speak; her vision slowly returning to her. A faint light flickering in the room they were in. She was laying on a hard surface, probably floor, but she didn’t feel cold.

“[That’s it, cough it all out,]” she said, smacking Solara to her back, sending another spike of pain through her and making her wince. “[You can scold me all you want once you can breathe,]” she continued.

“[What-]” Solara began, letting out another cough. “[Are you, doing… here?]” She said, her voice broken and quiet.

“[You’re very lucky that I happened to be around.]” Idalia paused. “[Now, how on earth did you end up in that stream? All battered and bruised. Though I suppose that was all the doings of the stream itself.]” She thought out loud, her tone casual, as if they were talking about the weather.

“[I-,]” She swallowed, taking as deep of a breath as she dared. “[Fell. Through the floor.]”

“[I see,]” Idalia remarked, still sitting on the floor next to her; blazing with such heat that it was impossible to feel cold. “[I didn’t think anyone would find this place.]” She began after a brief silence while Solara rolled onto her back, just trying to focus on breathing; her entire body aching and tears rising to her eyes. “[After all, it’s been… years? Decades?... Can’t even remember how long since people last visited here,]” Idalia continued, gazing into the distance.

“[I take it… that… “here” is,]” Solara coughed, letting out a small whine as her muscles felt tense and sore. Her limbs heavy and sluggish, only able to make slow movements. “[Is still within the Clover Kingdom…]” she breathed out, trying to grasp her senses, but all that there was, was pain, and the warmth that radiated from the figure next to her. 

“[Hmm… So that’s what they call it…]” she hummed out. “[Well, it used to be a research facility. The locals wanted to learn about imbuing magic into artifacts, and we’d work with them. I remember it was fun and games for a while, until the central figures of the project grew old and died. And I… I come hear for the nostalgia,]” she breathed out, gazing to the ceiling. “[You should read some of the writings that still exist,]” she grinned, turning her gaze to Solara; brushing away some of Solara’s hair from her face. “[It’s quite amusing in a way, to read about the conclusions people drew back then,]” she chuckled.

“[Are we in a study?]” Solara inquired, her breathing gradually growing more and more steady.

“[No…]” Idalia uttered, slipping her hand under Solara’s head. “[There’s an archive around the corner. This is an entrance hall. Of a kind. Now. Lift your head,]” she commanded, her tone soft and yet sounding as if she was somewhere else.

Solara did as she was asked, letting Idalia slip her legs under her head, propping it up. Her eyes adjusting to the dimly lit area, and seeing flaming red hair framing the face of her distant relative; one that wasn’t really her grandmother, despite being called as such.

“[Now that you’re not coughing your lungs out anymore, drink this,]” she urged, taking a potion bottle from somewhere in her robe; brining it to Solara’s lips.

She looked at the bottle and then to Idalia, still letting out a small cough and holding her sides.

“[Don’t worry, this is something you can’t drown in,]” she reassured. “[As soon as it enters your body, it seeps into you and helps with breathing. I need you to drink this one before we can do something about those cracked ribs of yours.]”

Solara nodded before parting her lips, letting Idalia pour the liquid down her throat. And it did what was promised; making her first feel warm, and then light. Some of the pain easing up each time she drew air, as long as she didn’t take deep breaths.

“[It’s a good thing that holding up your mana skin is a reflex for you,]” Idalia commented as she put the bottle away, running her fingers through Solara’s hair. “[But, then again, I would have been disappointed if it wasn’t one by now.]”

“[Because of being related to you?]” Solara joked, letting out a weak chuckle, but earning no reaction from Idalia.

“[No… ]” she spoke with a hushed tone; tilting her head, a habit which Solara guessed she had learnt from her. “[As far as I’m concerned… my bloodline has been diluted to the point, where I am no longer a part of my descendants.]” She paused for a moment, still looking at Solara without as much as a blink. “[My blood doesn’t run through your veins. I just like you. That’s all there is to it.]”

“[Well… if that’s the reason why you’re around, I can’t say that I’m complaining,]” Solara gave her a weak smile.

“[Mhm,]” Idalia hummed. “[This will speed up the healing process,]” she continued, offering Solara some herbs.

“[How did you get here?]” She asked, taking the herbs; forcing her hand to grip into them just for long enough until she could force them down her throat. The question felt loose, but it was one that she couldn’t help but wonder.

“[There’s a side door, leading up to the surface. Moderately hidden, but given how the path does come down quite the way, suppose that only a handful of those that find it, would dare to come down.]” She paused. “[But there’s a door home right there.]”

“[There’s a- ow, ow, ow…]” Solara grimaced, as she had tried getting up after hearing the statement. Again, feeling the stabbing pain, as if it was her entire body that was being impaled all around rather than just from her sides. Her breathing getting irregular for a moment.

“[Yes. I told you. _We_ worked together with them. Though suppose given how my nationality is questionable, and your current condition, I can see how it slipped past. But. You didn’t expect people to travel miles upon miles to a facility, if they could just build a portal down here, to the archives.]” She sighed. “[It hasn’t been used for ages. Actually, to the point where I think that even most Theans don’t remember its existence. But-]” She shrugged. “[Suppose that since it wasn’t relevant anymore, the memory of it just faded away with time. It’ll take a bit of effort to open it for that very reason, but it’s not a big issue.]”

“[Wait-, are you saying that I should leave now?]”

“[Why not? You could fly with your magic, and that’s what would probably be the best when it comes to you moving around. The portal is right here, and there’s nothing holding you back.]”

Solara stayed quiet for a moment, her gaze shifting to the side for a moment. “[Yes, there is,]” she stated, frankly.

“[Hm? Ah, you mean because of your feelings.]” She paused for a moment. “[Yes, I heard about the reports. But really, what will you do? Will you stay here and give up on your responsibilities back home? Or, will you go back home and turn your back on him? Given that you don’t know if you two would last. And besides… does he know that because of the spell you cast caused foreign officials conducting an investigation in a country that he’s sworn to protect?]”

Idalia’s words drilled into Solara, because, it was true. He didn’t know. She hadn’t told him… much of anything. Just as was expected of her. But when it comes to laying foundations for a relationship, it was hardly a good place to start. The realization making her feel nauseous. _Either… I tell him, and… at best, test my reliability as a Thean official, or then… I base our relationship essentially on a lie, only to tell him much later on; when I can’t hide it anymore and make him feel all the more betrayed…_ It all pained her more than the cracked ribs and the bruises; eating her on the inside.

“[Now you do have the possibility to leave; to just leave. They’d consider you dead and that’d be all.]”

“[…How can you say that?]” Solara asked, forcing herself to get up. “[I-,]” she let out a wince. “[There’s at least one person who’d continue to blame my death for as long as he lives. On top of me letting the person I love, believe that I have died…]” her voice faded away as she thought about Fuegoleon; most likely seated by his desk, thinking about her promise. The promise to come back… “[No… I need to go back and tell them that I’m alive,]” she continued, feeling tears rising to her eyes.

“[And then what?]”

“[And then… I’ll see how it goes…]” she said, her head hanging low as she sat there, on the cold floor.

Idalia sighed. “[Alright. It’s your decision. But, if it’s your intention to spare them of unnecessary heartache, then I’d suggest that you go soon. After all, you were out for quite many hours.]”

“[Hours?]”

“[Yes. You had swallowed barely any water, so all that was left for me to do was to make sure that you stay warm and that your condition doesn’t take a turn for the worse,]” she explained. “[It’s probably morning right now.]” She continued, gazing upwards and making Solara follow her gaze.

“[Morning?]”

“[Mhm,]” Idalia nodded.

“[Then I should,]” she paused taking as deep of a breath as she could, using her mana to get onto her feet. “[Get going.]”

“[You should lift the outermost mana seal.]” Idalia commented, making Solara gaze to her with furrowed brows and a sorrowful expression. “[Your body is using a lot of energy to heal itself. The herbs I gave you utilize your own mana to speed up the process; directing it inwards. Meaning-]”

“[That despite having a steady stream of mana intake, it’s more likely for me to exhaust myself if I don’t increase the potency of mana flow through me.]”

Idalia nodded to her. “[As you are now, there’s only a slim chance that anyone will notice a change in you. And, given the circumstances, opening a seal is a form of self-preservation.]” She stated while standing up; her form towering over Solara. “[I’ll make the journey with you, if that eases your mind.]”

“[It would,]” Solara admitted as she nodded to redhead; summoning forth the seals as she had done once already, outside of Thea. But this time, the runes that glided across her skin, were much fainter than before. She spoke the words, professing how her own magic couldn’t bind her, curling her fingers around the ribbon of runes before tearing through them.

There wasn’t a pulse of mana flowing out of her. No, not this time. But now, she was able to bring forth her mana skin, supporting her sides and floating her in the air; the specks of gold hidden in her eyes, because the glitter was needed for something else.

And with that, Idalia started leading them forward; passing a gate that one couldn’t notice, unless you knew what to look for. It stood there, dusted and forgotten. Beyond it was a narrow path leading upwards, twisting and turning in the darkness that was illuminated by only the glow of mana. At the end of the path, there was a staircase that took them to an entrance, a hidden passage at the side of a mountain; covered by trees and bushes. It was no wonder that none had stumbled upon it by accident.

The sky was grey; no sunlight escaping through the clouds. And Solara felt scared; her stomach turning as she thought about telling him. She tried not to move her body too much, concentrating on using mana to get forward. But despite her trying to focus on other things, she couldn’t help but feel nauseous; her breathing heavy and yet superficial. She didn’t want to have that talk. She didn’t want to, but she had to. She needed to let them know that she was indeed alive, and she needed to tell him that she had caused an investigation on Clover Kingdom’s soil.

Silence hung heavy in the air, but she did feel slight comfort for having Idalia there. Even if for her this was all just something that would pass; something unimportant. But Solara knew that Idalia recognized this to be of importance to Solara. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be here, dropping her off to the base.


	19. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter continues from where we left off with chapter 18, which means that there's an encounter about to take place as well as a discussion that needs to happen. This chapter also allows me to bring you all just a little bit closer to Thea, and Solara's family ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for reading this far and a special thank you for those of you who have left comments ^_^

The base seemed quiet, even from the outside. As if the entire building had curled up in itself, or perhaps it was just Solara’s imagination; the twisting in her stomach making her perceive things as they weren’t. But still, the lack of the friendly flutter and flow of mana swirling around the base, people going about their day, was missing. It was still before noon, but everyone should’ve been out by now.

“[You wish for me to wait out here?]” Idalia asked, staying behind as Solara kept approaching the base.

“[Oh, um...]” she hummed out, turning half way back to gaze at Idalia. “[I think I’ll be fine,]” she finally replied, the corners of her lips barely tugging up.

Idalia simply nodded to her before turning around to leave; speaking nothing else and leaving Solara standing before the gates of the base, looking down to her feet. _How will I tell him?_ She wondered, unable to calm down the racing of her heart and the tension rising to her throat. _Suppose I just need to find him and… figure it out as I go…_ She thought, holding her side as she began flying towards the base again. Her muscles still ached, her entire body tense, but at least her mana skin eased the pain of drawing breath.

\---

Fuegoleon stared into the carpet of his office; the silence of his thoughts pierced by the unwillingness to accept her death. _No, it can’t be real. She… she’s better than that. But I have no reason to doubt Ruben or Leo._ He sat there, trying to make sense of it all; his eyes glancing to the unfinished notice on his desk. _I need to see it. I need to see it myself,_ he thought before standing up and walking out of his office. _I need to be sure before I finalize it._

His feet carried him through the hallways, a sense of urgency filling him; making him hasten his steps. He was filled with a drive to get to the site while still feeling dread of what he might find, but the fear was overpowered by not knowing; not knowing for certain. Even if it meant having to see her… body, lifeless and cold. Even if it meant having that little speck of hope there still lingered, pulling him back from writing her name onto the notice, torn from him. But he didn’t want to think about it. For now, he concentrated on the idea of getting to the dungeon and seeing it for himself.

He needed to know that the faint flicker of her mana wasn’t just his imagination; that she was still out there. The possibility of her being alive, but trapped under a pile of rubble, crossed his mind. The idea of her slowly bleeding out because he hadn’t launched a search already yesterday, ate him.

_I should have done that. I should ha-_

He collided with a figure emerging behind a corner; one that let out a whine as a result.

“Forgive me I-“ he began before seeing who he had collided with; tears forming in his eyes as soon as they reached the messy, strawberry blond locks and the tattered cape that enveloped the form that was before him.

She lifted her head, revealing a patch of dried-up blood just on her hairline. Her gaze filled with sorrow and an apology, a flicker of hope in the corner of her eye. “Hey…” she uttered, her voice matching the condition of her body.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, but the pressure made her wince.

“Ow, ow, ow-“

“Sorry!” He loosened his grip of her, but still refused to let go. His eyes cascading over her; over her wounds, twisting his stomach despite the feeling of relief washing over him. “Let’s get you lying down,” he stated, picking her up before she realized what was happening.

“Wow!” She squeaked in surprise. “I-, I can manage by myself…” she continued, blush rising to her cheeks, to which he only shook his head as he kept walking towards her bedroom.

“No. We need to get you checked out, and before that, you need to clean up and lie down. Get some rest,” he insisted, hasting his steps, but keeping his eyes on her.

“I-,” she tried.

“I won’t have it.”

She paused for a moment, pressing her head against his chest; feeling his warmth. It all, made it all the more difficult to begin the conversation she needed to have; her nausea only growing.

“You do know that when I told you that you don’t need to be cold in order to be kept warm, this is not what I meant,” he joked, making the corners of her lips tug up and a veil of softness fall over her eyes.

“I do,” she whispered, making him smile for the first time since they last saw each other.

They stayed quiet, only the sound of his steps and the beating of his heart echoing in her ears. His senses focusing on the rising and falling of her chest, speaking of the fact that she was there, and she was alive.

 _I wish that I could just stay here,_ she thought while closing her eyes for a brief second, but she knew that she couldn’t allow herself to be lulled by his gentle, strong, pulse.

“There’s something I need to talk to you about,” she hesitated as they closed in on her bedroom door.

“It can wait,” he replied, feeling her health to be the priority.

“It shouldn’t,” she insisted, shaking her head. _Because if I don’t bring it up now, chances are that I won’t. Not until it’s too late. I should tell you when I still have the courage to do so._

His brows furrowed slightly as they stood at the door. “What’s wrong?” He simply asked as she brought her hand onto the cold surface of the handle.

“It’s a long story…” she began. “But it’s one that you should hear…”

Her words made his newly reformed heart sink to the pit of her stomach. _What is that supposed to mean? It almost sounds like… Are you arranged to be married to someone else? But we… we just found each other._

Once inside the room, behind closed doors, he let her down. His eyes looking for answers in her expression, but finding none.

“Yes?” he simply uttered as he helped her out of her torn cape.

“It, um, it all began during the attack. You see… us Theans, we can unlock… Or rather we have some spells that we aren’t supposed to use outside of Thea, which is why we keep those sealed; most of the time-“

_Spells? Sealed spells? What is she talking about?_

“And I have one that I-,” she paused to draw breath. “That I used on you…”

 _On me?_ His grip of the fabric in his hands grew tighter. The very cape that she had once upon a time handed back to him, only to have him return it to her, because he trusted her.

“I thought that all it does is kindle ideas and revelations, of a kind, but it appears that it-, also assisted in waking you up…”

_I-, alright… But that could have waited… What are you still keeping from me?_

“But it’s a spell that I shouldn’t have used. In fact, it’s one that I, unlawfully, used. According to Thean legislation… And also, suppose, now that I think about it without your consent as well…”

_Unlawfully?_

“And it… resulted into Thean officials launching an investigation on Clover Kingdom’s soil…”

 _Wait… You’re telling me that a foreign power infiltrated here, and conducted an investigation… And you didn’t tell me…_ His stomach twisted again, making his thoughts muddle.

“It was an investigation on my actions, but…”

 _That is a security risk. And a great one. Even if she says that they have no interest in us. But it’s still one that I can’t overlook. I have a duty, as a Squad Captain and a member of the Royal family to address this. I should be furious. I should be. She has jeopardized the citizens of this kingdom, and I-, I should… I should be mad at her…_ His gaze glazed over as he fell in thought, trying to wrap his head around the information he had just received; missing whatever further explanation left her lips.

“We should get a medic to check up on you,” he mumbled; taking a few pacing steps while still grasping onto the torn cape.

“I received aid from a relative, so it’s not urgent,” she stated, furrowing her brows.

“You met a relative on your way here?” He asked, stopping in his place and looking at her with a stern expression. _There are Theans… Ah, that’s right. Her sister is here._ “Selena let you come here unescorted?” He corrected.

“No… it wasn’t Selena,” she shook her head. “It was-“

“You have more family members around? There are more Theans around?”

“I-, not to my knowledge,” she replied, guilt weighing over her; taking a hold of her throat and squeezing it.

He let out a deep sigh before pinching the bridge of his nose and furrowing his brows once more. _Alright… it’s… this is, um…How many foreign officials there are at the moment? Does she-, would they tell her? Technically that is information they can withhold from her if she’s under investigation._ He paced around a bit more as she watched him.

 _It’s a lot to take in, I know. But just… please tell me that… Just say something,_ she thought, feeling her anxiety only building up inside of her.

“But, um, you’re… feeling well?” He inquired without even looking to her direction. _I should feel more worried for the kingdom. I should. I should be furious. But… I’m just… I’m just glad that she’s alive. Why-, how is it possible that I’m not more worried?_

“Yes…” she replied, her voice meek and hesitant. _He’s upset, yes. And he has every right to be. I just-, what more can I say?_

“Are you certain?”

“Yes. I was given a magical herb that speeds up my recovery process, so at the moment, I’m as well as I can be,” she replied, continuing to hold up her mana skin over the point of her fractured ribs.

“Good,” he breathed out feeling another kind of dread building inside of him. _I-, I haven’t ever felt like this. I’m willing to dismiss something like this so easily? Is that what love does to a person? Consume them to the point where one would be willing to lay so much on the line? Make me do something so irrational and irresponsible? I… No harm has been done, but… that’s not the issue._

“Fuegoleon?” She asked, her voice having faded into whispers.

“I’ll… you should get some rest,” he urged her, feeling scared of the depth of his own emotions as he started taking steps closer to the door. “And, I’m taking this,” he continued, holding the cape in his hand; without turning to her. _It should get fixed. Along with the rest of her clothes, but those I can’t just ask from her._

 _He-, I’m discharged…?_ She felt a lump in her throat; the dam behind her eyes nearly breaking. “Alright…” She replied, her tone quiet and defeated as a result of her gritting her teeth.

He nodded before opening the door and walking out. _Why am I scared of this? Why am I so scared? I am a magic knight for gods’ sake! Dread is a perfectly humane emotion, but why am I afraid of loving her? Is it because…? Yes, it must be because of what it might make me overlook. Being so emotionally invested that I just… loose my sense of self…_ he thought as he made his way towards his office, trying to banish the feeling from himself.

 _Just like that… He walked out. Just like that…_ She didn’t know if she should laugh or cry, so, in the end, she did both. She let out a chuckle as her sorrow finally started streaming down her face, and all she could do was sob.

Her side wasn’t the part of her that hurt the most anymore. No, it was the stitches, made with the golden thread of fate on her heart that were being torn open all at once, that did. What fragments there might have been left, hardened into marble; forming a sculpture of the love she bore for him as a memento that she’d always carry with her. Even if, at that moment, she wanted to rip through her ribcage and tear that sculpture out; to not have anything to do with it anymore. The sharp corners of which poked her, stabbed her; draining her of everything but her tears.

She sat on her bed, hiding her face into her hands, unable to do anything else for a while; until she was filled with a thought. _I can’t stay here anymore. It hurts too much. It hurts, it hurts, it hurts._ And so, she walked over to her dressing table, taking out a sheet of paper she had for taking notes, and began inscribing a letter. But one not made for him. After all, he knew what had happened. He had taken the insignia of being a part of the squad from her.

The letter was meant for her friend; confessing to her as well why she was dismissed and why she couldn’t stay there anymore. And her confession was followed by her welcoming the pursue she was in store for. The punishment for bringing this down on them, to all of them. She signed it, a tear falling next to her name; one which she tried to wipe off, but instead it was drawn over the paper. Still, she didn’t care; it wouldn’t make a difference to the content of the letter.

She grabbed her bag, not even bothering to brush her hair and walked out, making her way Mereo’s room. She knocked the door, but given how there was no mana behind the door, she didn’t expect a reply, which there wasn’t. So, she tried the door knob, finding it to be locked. She let out a sigh and slipped the note under the door, turning to leave right after.

Fatigue weighed her down, making her shoulders slouch forward and her head hung low. _Is it alright to leave like this? Without bidding farewell to everyone? I should… tell them, right?_ She wondered; her concentration shifting between her thoughts and keeping up her mana skin on her side.

“Solara aneue!?” She heard, making her turn her head towards the sound. But before she could do much of anything else, she felt a pair of arms wrapping around herself, yet again. “You’re alive!” He kept repeating over, and over, and over.

Solara gasped for air, a tear rolling down her cheek. “Leo, please, that hurts…” she whined, to which Leo responded by letting go of her.

“I’m sorry!” He replied; the apology being followed by a wave of questions, all revolving around how she had made it back.

“There was a stream, underground, and it carried me away,” she explained, pausing for a moment. “And I was pulled out and given first aid, after which I was able to return,” she continued; her tone steady and calm, as she tried her best to just keep it all together.

“You should be resting,” he insisted, tugging her arm towards her room.

“Leo… no…” she spoke with a hushed tone. “I’m… alright,” she tried.

“You just said that you’re in pain,” he retaliated.

“It only hurts if you squeeze me,” she said with a weak chuckle.

“But still! Why aren’t you in bed?” He asked, his expression painted with nothing but confusion and worry.

“Because…” she began, not really knowing what to tell the young lion. “Because I did something wrong,” she breathed out, trying to fight her tears.

Her answer made Leo’s frown only deepen as he couldn’t understand why that was of any relevance.

“You should still be resting,” he shook his head, dismissing her protests.

“And I will, once I get home,” she continued, shaking her head; melancholy prominent in her eyes.

“….Home…? But… you only just got back, and you’re injured!” Leo tried.

“I’ll manage that much. Don’t worry about me,” she flashed him a smile, placing her hand onto his shoulder. “You did well,” she still said making her way around him while Leo stood there.

He didn’t know what to do, or what to say. All the women in his life, Mereo and his mother, had always followed their own instinct and were impossible to convince otherwise. It was all something that he had never been able to do. _But aniue will!_ He thought before dashing towards Fuegoleon’s office, while Solara still turned around to look at him.

 _He’ll be alright,_ she thought as she let her mana envelop her and carry her away. All the while Leo still kept running, calling out to his brother from some distance away already; but Fuegoleon didn’t hear him as he was too immersed into his own thoughts. Still trying to make sense of his emotions, while simultaneously realizing that they couldn’t be made sense of; that they couldn’t be rationalized.

He thought about how he wasn’t mad at her. He was just scared of how quickly things were about to unfold as he kept glancing over to the unfinished name on the sheet of paper that still laid on the table. _I… I shouldn’t … I have her back. But… what am I supposed to do with the information she gave me? She told me it… even if only eventually… I think she’s still hiding something from me. Which means that she doesn’t trust me. And there’s no sense in entering a relationship without trust. No matter how much I might love her, it just doesn’t make sense. But she does want to build trust, right? That is why she told me. She told me bec-_

“Aniue!” Leo yelled as he burst through the door.

Fuegoleon frowned, his eyebrow twitching as he took a deep breath. “Leo. I have told you not to run into my office, have I not?” His tone was stern, and low; his eyes closed as he tried to stay calm.

“But Solara aneue-“

“I know,” Fuegoleon stressed. “I know about her. And this is a bad time, Leo.”

Leo didn’t know what to say. All he could do was stand there, dumbfounded. _Aniue… knows? And he’s just letting her leave like that? But… why?_

“Leo, please. I have a lot on my mind right now. And she insisted that she’s alright,” he paused for a moment. “I’ll address it tomorrow,” he continued, rubbing his temples. _And I need to talk with her about all of this still. Tomorrow. But for today, I need to think this through for myself._ He thought, feeling fatigue weighing him down.

“Okay…” Leo whispered as he stepped out, closing the door. Many emotions swirled inside of him, muddling his thoughts. The joy of seeing Solara alive was now mixed with uncertainty and hesitation; making him wonder what mistake could she possibly have done to make aniue want to send her back. Especially after what happened back at the Magic Knight’s headquarters a while back. He just couldn’t understand it, but he settled for waiting for the next day, giving his brother time to supply the answers that they needed.

 _At least she’s alive,_ Leo thought. _But it still feels wrong for her to leave in that condition…_

\---

Solara made her way back to the dungeon, climbing down the stairs and the path that she had ascended only a few hours ago. But this time she was alone, only her mana lighting her way; her thoughts stuck in the sea of static that now existed in her chest. _What will I do now…?_ She found herself thinking as the subtle noise of the flowing stream surrounded her. _Though… what really has changed…? Not much. I-, I’ll just go back home. That was always the plan, right? To, always, go back home… Maybe, visit the Tree of Binding Fates. It might tell me one thing, or then something completely different. But in any case, I’d know what to expect._

She walked over to the gate, looking at the surface of the doors that blended in with the cavern wall perfectly; except for the few seams that existed around a disc imbedded into stone. Runes ran around it, lining a smooth surface no larger than a plate. _Grandmother Idalia said that it might take a bit of a kick to get it open, right? A little surge of mana in addition to the key?_ She sighed. _I can do that… There’s mana around, so I just need to direct it; no need to use that which is healing me…_

She removed her pendant and placed it in the middle of the smooth surface as she whispered: _“_ [I ask to be let back home.]” Veins of orange mana appeared around the pendant, lighting the runes. A click rang in the air as straight lines shot out from the disk along the surface of the door, almost as if to paint a radiant sun. There was a clang and some dust was scattered into the air. _Yeah… It needs a little bit of encouragement…_ She sighed once more, lowering her mana skin from her side to concentrate onto the door.

“[I ask to be let through,]” she stated directing her mana onto the disk, still holding her pendant on the stone surface. _A little pulse…_ She thought, pushing a wave of mana out of her, which coursed through the lines over the door. More dust was scattered into the air as the doors started opening up, revealing a mountainside on the other side.

She panted heavily, grasping the pendant in her shaky hand as she made her way through. _Okay… I can rest once I get to the other side,_ she thought as her other hand found its way onto her side.

The door closed behind her as she sat down onto the rocky ground, breathing, just breathing. She felt the familiar mana rich environment surrounding her, making her feel slightly warmer and little by little, calming down the shaking of her hands. _It’ll be better in a while…_ She thought as she sat there, looking around.

 _Where am I? I thought that I knew Thea, inside and out, but… I don’t… recognise this scenery._ The landscape was barren; only patches of grass here and there decorated the mountainside otherwise composed of stone. A small stream ran in the nearby valley, flowing to her right. _It feels like Thea, that’s for sure… Maybe on the northern side?_ She wondered, steadying her breath and casting forth her mana skin once more, floating upwards to gaze around.

She rose above the side of the mountain, turning around to see what was on the other side.

 _Or… then I could be… essentially on my own backyard…_ She thought as she gazed at the building that were revealed before her. _Though technically I still do have about half an hour flight from here to home, and suppose that since the Department of Magical Technology is nearby, which explains the placement of the portal._

She began flying towards home, staring into the distance as she held her side; allowing the gentle mana of her homeland carry her forward. The wildlife, the nature, the people in the distance, going about their day, it all went by her, unnoticed. All she wanted to do, was to get home, take a shower and climb into bed.

Tears ran down her cheeks as she grit her teeth, out of grief more than anything else. At that moment, she found herself grateful of the fact that it wasn’t a norm to build your estates in the middle of cities. Thus, she didn’t need to walk through crowded streets or face people, that she didn’t wish to see her in such a state. She was glad, that the existence of acres upon acres worth of estate in the noble circles, wasn’t a reality. Before, she had only seen the economical benefit in it, but now, she was happy about how it allowed her parents to instead build a home right outside of the capital. Not too far from everything, but still, giving them peace and privacy. Though grand, their house had a sense of home. Not a castle, but a home. At least to her, even if some would still call all of it excessive. Perhaps they were right, but she didn’t think about it. No, not at that moment. She didn’t think about much of anything as she slipped through the door, hoping that she wouldn’t see anyone on her way to her room. And that was where the knowledge of the household schedule, the knowledge that she gained by growing up in the house, every route, every turn, became useful for her.

So, she managed, sneaking into her room like a rambunctious teenager, that she never was. She left a trail of ripped clothes on her way to the bathroom. Her hair ties were jumbled into her hair, making her have to tug them out; the pain of pulling her hair telling her that she was still alive. 

She turned on the water, and stepped in, letting the steaming hot water fall over her skin. Red bruises planted all over her body, one larger on her left side. And yet, all she did was sit onto the floor, feeling cold. She hugged her legs, curling around herself and she sobbed, out loud, even if the sound was covered by the falling water.

 _It hurts so much…_ she cried to herself. _Why was it so easy for him to walk out? Was it… was it all in my head? If-, if that wasn’t love, then do I… do I want to feel that? Risk feeling something worse than this? And what if it was… but only for me… Thus, no discussion, no nothing. Just a simple “I’ll take this. Thank you and goodbye”… Goodbye… or rather, farewell._


	20. The dismissal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solara and Fuegoleon do indeed need to work on their communication, but what'll happen as a result of this miscommunication? Find out in this chapter ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya~  
> Thank you for reading this far, and I do hope that I'm still keeping you interested ^_^ I took a couple of days longer with this chapter because I was wondering if a scene in the chapter was something that I was forcing, rather than what would be in-character for the characters.   
> And, as always, a special thank you for those of you who have left comments!  
> NOTE: There's an OC name-dropped in this chapter that belongs to my amazing Tumblr mutual @simpingforthisonedeer (she's also writing a BC OC fic here on A03, by the title of Demons Run, so do check it out). The OC in question is Ms. Aika Tolliver ^_^

Fuegoleon had stayed in his office for the rest of the day, only talking to Randal as he dropped off some documents, a worried and hesitant expression painted onto his face. After all, the news had travelled fast, all being grateful of Solara’s survival, but unsure of what precisely had happened.

But the Captain had given his promise to address it on the following day, which is why Randal didn’t press it; taking the cape to be fixed, on Captain’s orders. The tattered piece of fabric offered no answers, making him wonder for a brief moment about what to do with the cape once it was fixed; the conclusion being ‘store it away’.

The work progressed slowly as a result of the turmoil, but in the end, the day did draw to an end, as all days do. Fuegoleon’s steps carried him closer to his bedroom as longing swirled in his chest. _I wonder if I should still see her today,_ he thought to himself before passing a window, seeing the starry sky while everything else was painted in darkness. His gaze turned away, falling onto the floor as he resumed walking, the lonely echo of his boots bouncing from the walls. _No, it’s better that she gets to rest for today. She probably has been sleeping for a good portion of the day, and I shouldn’t disturb her._ Memories of her sleeping form returned to him, making his lips tug up. _Yes… She might claim to be alright, but she still needs to get checked up. Tomorrow. After breakfast. And once she’s gotten treated, we need to talk about the information she gave me. I also need to inform the squad about today’s events._ His train of thought paused for a moment, as he was left to wonder what that would be. _I can’t just tell them about what we discussed, but I do need to explain the strained atmosphere somehow._

His bedroom still seemed empty to him, but this time, the solitude didn’t haunt him. And so, he was able to, eventually, climb into bed without feeling the need to toss and turn. Though, he still settled onto one edge of the bed instead of laying himself into the middle. Somehow, occupying the entire space seemed unnatural for him. The image of her sleeping next to him being still vivid in his memory. His fingers inching over to the other side while there was a tender smile implanted onto his face.

 _Soon,_ he thought. _Soon, with your consent, I’m able to hold you in my arms. But for tonight, I hope that you’ll sleep well. So, rest well… my dear._ He hesitated, even in his own mind, trying not to lull himself into something that still wasn’t quite a reality. _Today has been rough, for both of us, but more so for you than for me. But tomorrow will be better. That I promise you. Good night…_ He thought before his fire arm faded away, his consciousness drifting into sleep.

\---

The next morning, he got up later than usually, opting to join the squad for breakfast. To him, everyone was much quieter than usually, but he put it down as lingering worry as Solara still hadn’t joined them. _This brings up memories of the attack, I presume, making them feel more uneasy than they otherwise would,_ he reasoned to himself, since occurrences where a squad member would have been severely injured, were scarce. Or rather, had been, if the occasional attacks by the Diamond Kingdom and battles in the neutral zone were excluded. _It’s been emotionally straining for all of them during these past months, this past year. Quite frankly they’ve been processing it better than one would expect. So, if this is the point where it all adds up to, I can’t blame them._

Each pair of eyes at the table occasionally shifted to him, wanting to ask him, but settling in hoping that the events would be addressed shortly. Only Mereo didn’t shy away from his form, looking up and down at him. Her brows furrowed, seeing relatively little emotion on her brother’s face.

Leo on the other hand stared onto the depths of his plate, his chest still feeling tight as it was barely able to contain all of the emotions that swirled inside of him.

“Aniue?”

“Yes?”

“What happened with Solara aneue?” He asked, unable to, and unwilling to, wait any longer.

Fuegoleon gazed to his brother for a brief moment as he formulated his answer. “We had a private discussion, at the end of which I left her to rest and took her cape to be fixed.” He explained factually.

“But… what did she do to get dismissed?” Leo asked, looking at his brother, worry radiating from him.

Silence fell into the room as they all waited for his reply, each pair of eyes glancing to him with anticipation while searching for answers.

“…Dismissed?” He simply asked with a hushed tone. A frown overtook him as he tried to wrap his mind around Leo’s question. “I never told her that she’s dismissed,” he assured.

“That is not how she heard it,” Mereo commented, her gaze still fixed on him. “Sometimes you don’t need to use the word ‘dismissed’ for it to be evident,” she still continued with a scoff.

“I did not dismiss her,” he stressed, looking at Mereo.

They stared at each other for a moment, eyes blazing while the rest of the squad observed. The air felt heavy as time stood still, everyone holding their breath while simultaneously trying to comprehend the events that were unfolding before them.

“I shall rectify the misconception at once,” Fuegoleon announced, getting up form his seat and taking a few steps away from the table.

“And how exactly are going about it?” Mereo inquired while raising an eyebrow, making Fuegoleon turn back towards her.

“By talking with her of course,” he replied with a raised eyebrow of his own.

“Good luck,” Mereo scoffed. “But once you do find her, tell her that I also need to have a word with her,” she continued.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“She’s probably well on her way back to Thea by now. And unless you talked about how to get there, I imagine that it’ll be quite difficult to find her.”

“She left?” He asked, his voice growing louder and graver with each syllable. “In her condition?!”

“That’s what I was trying to ask yesterday…” Leo spoke, his tone careful and hesitant, which only made Fuegoleon’s heart miss a beat in the worst possible way.

That sinking feeling once more made a home in his chest; his heart racing, while his mind was on a rampage, simply trying to find answers. He wanted to run after her, fly after her, just try and find her. But Mereo was right. She had a good head start and she could be essentially anywhere. Like finding a needle in a haystack. _Calm down,_ he told himself. _Think._ He thought while trying to push away the flashing images which had terrified him on the previous day; the ones that had made him rush out of his office. _No, that won’t happen to her._ He took a deep breath, trying to collect himself. _What has she told me? What do I actually know? Do I know anyone that could give me directions? … Yes. Her sister._

\---

Fuegoleon made his way to the Silver Eagle’s Headquarters, knowing that Selena was his one remaining link to get into contact with her. If she was still around. After all, there was always the possibility that she too, was gone.

 _Please, let her still be here,_ he thought to himself throughout the journey. _Otherwise, I can’t… how am I supposed to find her? Maybe, Julius might know something. Or Aika. She has travelled around so perhaps she’d know. But I can’t count on it. I can’t count on it…_

As he arrived, he marched down the corridors to Nozel’s office. He tried not to hasten his steps as he travelled down the route that he knew quite well as a result of the countless captains’ meetings they had had. But still, somehow the journey felt longer than before. Every turn, every corner, bringing him closer to perhaps being able to make everything alright once more again.

He knocked on his rival’s door, knowing from the prominent mana on the other side that he was there.

“Come in,” Nozel said dryly, recognizing just as well the mana of his distant cousin. “What is it?” He simply asked, turning to look at Fuegoleon. “I don’t recall there being a meeting scheduled.”

“There wasn’t,” Fuegoleon replied, still standing in the doorway. “I’m here to meet with one of your squad members. Lady Equinox, the… other Lady Equinox,” he specified.

Nozel quirked an eyebrow at the statement. “Why?”

The question wasn’t out of place, but one to which Fuegoleon wasn’t quite certain how to reply. “There were complications during a mission, and it’s my duty to notify her of her sister’s injury,” he stated, not wanting to spill everything, but neither wishing to lie.

“That could have been done by sending a message,” Nozel noted.

“True. But that seems rather impersonal, does it not?” Fuegoleon replied.

Nozel stared at his rival, but in the end only scoffed. “The last that I know, she was training in the courtyard,” he stated, turning his attention back to the files before him.

“Thank you,” Fuegoleon replied turning around to leave.

“Don’t forget about the meeting we have tomorrow, all of us,” Nozel noted after him.

“Of course I won’t,” Fuegoleon replied, giving his rival a slight glare as irritation sparked inside of him. But he was quick to catch himself with the feeling, and was able to snuff it out without anything further. “I’ll see you then,” he still wished, to which Nozel only nodded.

Fuegoleon walked out, his mind once more focusing on the task ahead instead of worrying about what other’s might make of the situation. But still, he had his pride and he wasn’t about to let everyone know of the events in their entirety.

He found Selena from the courtyard, training, just as promised. Streams, radiating with a silvery glow, floated around her in the air, har hand guiding them to form a network before her gaze turned towards him.

“I was waiting for you to show up,” she remarked, dispelling her mana.

“Oh?” He uttered, halting his steps for a moment. “So, you have heard…” he spoke with a hushed tone as he continued to approach her.

Selena nodded to him, waiting in place until he was close by to continue the conversation. “Yes, I did receive word from home. They told me to come back home. That my return was greatly recommended, but personally I don’t, quite yet, see a reason to do so,” she replied.

His brows furrowed for a moment, his gaze studying her features for any clues, but finding none.

“Actually, I had a feeling that you would come to see me, but I haven’t got the faintest clue as to why,” she admitted. “After all, you dismissed her. Correct?”

“No, I did not,” he stated, making Selena quirk an eyebrow.

“That is not what I hear,” she replied, pausing for a moment. “I hear that she admitted to you about the investigation that took place.”

“You do know about it as well?” He clarified.

“Of course I know about the investigation. I was questioned for it as well,” Selena sighed, ger gaze shifting around. “Walk with me,” she half commanded, half asked while starting to take steps towards a nearby path.

Fuegoleon followed her, the worry only growing in his chest. It was never a good sign when someone asks to take a walk with you amidst a serious conversation.

“I can’t say that I fully agree with her choices,” Selena sighed. “But I can understand why she did what she did. But the question I want you to answer is that do _you_ know what she did to be under investigation in the first place,” she inquired, glancing to him for a brief moment.

“She used a high-class spell of some kind. Some kind of a sealed spell,” he replied.

Selena nodded, gazing forward as the sound of their steps filled the otherwise lingering silence between them. “For the sake of this conversation, I’m going to assume that you know all of this information already,” she paused for a moment, halting her steps and looking at Fuegoleon. “Even if you wouldn’t,” she continued with a whisper.

Fuegoleon answered her gaze and gave her a heavy nod, making her resume walking.

“Yes, we Theans indeed have access to spells that we aren’t allowed to use outside of Thea… And the one she used,” she paused again for a moment. “She has this spell, of which quite frankly I don’t know quite as much as I’d like to know for personal, academic, reasons… But the spell itself brings… light, more than in the traditional, physical sense of illuminating. The most I’ve seen it do is kindle ideas, or realizations, such that would otherwise be on the tip your tongue, but apparently it also can be used to refire dormant braincells, which in a way doesn’t quite fit the bill since neurological messages are electrical, rather than… though photoelectronic reactions are possible, but the idea of affecting particles the size of ions in the same way as-“

“Forgive me, but what does this have to do with the investigation?” He inquired, wishing to get to the root of the issue.

“Ah, yes, I got a bit carried away,” she chuckled. “And went into too much detail. But, in short: she has a spell that she can use to ease up waking from a coma. In other words, she used that spell to wake you up during the attack. She didn’t know if it’d work, but… it did.”

He swallowed upon hearing that statement, his mind focused only on finding out more. “And… she, um, it was an issue?”

Selena nodded once more, her gaze not shifting to him. “She stated that she saw how the squad was in need of a leader, and though she could have temporarily done that, as nobility of another country she had no place in doing so, to lead soldiers of another nation, which in itself is a problem. She also recognized how having someone of your caliber fighting in the front lines was beneficial for the Kingdom. It was beneficial for the squad, and the masses in the long run…” She paused for a moment once more. “Though, that’s what it says on paper. And I do believe that, that’s a good portion of it, but her emotions were also at play. So, do I think that her decision was entirely logical? No. Not by a long shot. You see, she did care for you, even then. Which to me is… quite absurd… In the sense that she had never met you, and yet… she let her emotions sway her in favour of the decision that she ended up making.” Selena sighed once more. “But she did what she did, and there’s no undoing of it. And… by doing so, by… waking you up, she… well, committed treason against Thea.”

Fuegoleon stopped in his tracks, gazing to Selena in utter disbelief. His lips parted to say something, but as he found no words, he only shook his head, barely even doing that.

“Technically speaking, there is a subclause that alleviated her crime. The said subclause stating that as long as the actions can be seen to serve a purpose for the betterment of the masses, the crime can be overlooked. The consequences essentially ended up being just an investigation into her reasoning, and if her actions would be likely to result into threat being displayed against Thea. Insight into her reasoning, of course, could be found from her, but when it comes to there possibly being threat against Thea… there was a need for the investigation itself to take place. And since she was able to keep her actions hidden, of course there was no added threat.”

Fuegoleon gave her a weak nod before starting to walk once more, the pebbles of the path crunching under their feet to fill the brief silence yet again.

“And when it comes to… hiding, or lying, about being able to use spells of that caliber, well,” Selena shrugged. “Essentially the same law that keeps us from using them, also forbids us from talking about them. And as I say that, I’m breaking the same law… But,” she sighed. “It is what it is. And as said, I’m taking this as if you know about all of it already.”

“She…committed treason, for Clover Kingdom’s sake…?” he inquired, gazing to Selena with a veil of desperation pulled over his eyes.

“Essentially yes. And she finally broke down and told you about it, probably wanting to come clean about it all to you, because of… Well, quite frankly I can only guess why she would finally have decided to admit it, but that’s between the two of you. Though it seems that she didn’t tell it in the best possible way.”

He stopped in his tracks once more, looking at her with an array of emotions, of which the desire to speak with Solara overpowered the rest. Love and sorrow colliding in his chest, as his heart wept once more, thinking that he had caused her such pain. “Please… Let me talk to her,” he pleaded as Selena turned around.

She stayed silent for a moment, looking at his eyes that showed her nothing but sincere emotion. “She doesn’t really talk to even me at lot… at the time. And if I know her, which is something I claim to do, she’ll want to take some distance and heal. Quite frankly I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if she wouldn’t be as much as looking at the messages she’s receiving at the moment.”

“Then let me go to Thea,” he asked, determination and desperation seeping through his syllables.

“No.”

The frankness of her answer felt like a slap in the face; her answer being definite and leaving no room for discussion. He parted his lips to ask another simple question, but as he knew the answer, quickly decided against it. After all, he knew why. He knew that even if speaking of such matters was considered treason, him asking to visit was beyond it.

“But,” she continued. “I can ask people to talk to her, and perhaps she’ll be in touch soon enough.”

“Thank you,” he replied as a glimmer of careful hope flickered in his eyes.

She nodded to him, ending the conversation and having the two bid each other goodbyes. But Selena stayed lingering in the courtyard, her thoughts swirling around. _You thought that she died, didn’t you? And she thinks… probably thinks that you don’t want to have anything to do with her. You are both getting caught into your own emotions… But there’s very little chance that mom and dad will just let her leave like that. Not given the condition in which she returned. She needs to heal; her body needs to heal. And I won’t start relaying messages for the two of you. It… it really might be the best if you could go to Thea… But_ , she chuckle to herself, unable to do anything else. _You’d be the first person to do so in a decade. If we exclude the members of Ally Countries… and Miss Tolliver of course, with the addition of those that work for her. And… if we consider the events from a decade ago as a “visitation” …_ She sighed to herself. _But, suppose I can ask… Simply because Lara seems so broken._

\---

There was a knock at an office door, the sound was firm and yet polite.

“[Yes?]” Said a voice on the other side, welcoming the other in.

Upon opening a door, the person entering the room was welcomed by a sight of a woman with white hair, like freshly fallen snow, her frost kissed green eyes smiling faintly. “[What is it?]” She continued.

The man closed the door, his golden eyes seeming to lack their usual glimmer and his deep red hair seeming darker than usually. “[Selena sent me a message,]” he only said, turning to her and making his way towards the desk.

“[Is she ready to come back home?]” The woman inquired, her gaze shifting back to the papers scattered on her desk.

“[No,]” he began, making her eyes lock with his. “[In fact, she says that the whole situation Solara is going through is just a misunderstanding and there’s been an expression of wish to talk it out.]” He sat onto the chair that sat across from the woman, letting out a faint scoff.

“[She’s not seriously suggesting that we send Solara back out there? Not with those injuries?]” The woman asked while quirking an eyebrow.

“[No,]” he shook his head. “[She didn’t suggest much of anything, but she did say how he seems sincere. Though, she did mention that they could discuss it via messages as long as Solara would just look at her CCE.]”

“[She shouldn’t,]” the woman shook her head. “[Between this and the harassment, she has enough on her mind. What she needs, is to take a break from all of it.]”

“[That almost sounds like you’d be about to confiscate her CCE,]” the man commented with a faint smile.

A smirk rose over her lips. “[She’s not a child anymore Arcturus. You know that much,]” she chuckled.

“[I know,]” he replied with a tender gaze, but his expression soon hardened into a much more serious one. “[But I do agree with you. She needs a break. Which is why I thought about going there myself, and perhaps convince Selena to come home as well.]”

The woman leaned back in her chair, thinking about his suggestion for a moment.

“[Do you not approve?]” He still inquired.

“[You know that I don’t believe in babying any of them. They need to deal with their own issues. But…]” she paused for a moment, her gaze shifting to the side.

“[But… given the circumstances…]” he continued, to which she nodded.

“[Given the circumstances, I’m not opposing,]” she sighed. “[Bring our daughter home,]” she told him.

“[Easier said than done,]” he smiled. “[They all take after you, after all.]”

“[Now, now, some of that stubbornness comes from your side of the family,]” she smirked.

“[Fair enough,]” he replied while getting up from his chair. “[I’ll call you once I know more,]” he still said before heading out of the door.

“[Safe travels,]” she wished.

“[I shall, keep the country standing,]” he replied, flashing her a smirk.


End file.
